The Heart Wants What It Wants
by Im.Just.Like.Me
Summary: Grant Ward was notorious, feared, & respected as Hydra's Lethal Weapon - trained to follow orders & take the shot without feeling since adolescence, but as he held a gun to her head he couldn't pull the trigger & never would be able to. Who knew the robot could have feelings? Skye did, that was why with the barrel pressed to her temple she dared him to do it. SkyeWard/AU/Canon(s)
1. Pilot

**Hey everyone! This is my second AoS fic (the other is still in progress and titled Remember Me, check it out!) and I just couldn't get this idea out of my head and thinking about it. So I am going to juggle two fics at once and see how that works for me (although it never worked well in the past...) **

**Summary:  
**Grant Ward was notorious, feared, maybe even respected as Hydra's 'lethal weapon' - trained to follow orders and take the shot without feeling since adolescence, but as he held a gun to her head he couldn't pull the trigger and never would be able. Who knew the robot could have feelings? Skye did, that was why with the barrel pressed to her temple she dared him to take the shot.  
SkyeWardAU/Mr &amp; Mrs Smith(but not really), Canon.

**Please let me know what you think! **  
**This story is very AU, but the gang's all here!**  
**Review your thoughts.**

**READ AUTHOR'S NOTE AT BOTTOM WHEN DONE PLEASE.**

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_~~Preface~~_

"Who the _hell_ knows about this location that we aren't aware of?" Melinda May demanded to know of the agents surrounding her.

No one answered, half scared of just answering, the other half terrified of getting shot for saying the wrong thing.

"Doesn't matter," Director Coulson stated as he rounded the corner, making himself known.

"It doesn't matter? Phil, he shot out the cameras, knows all of the codes, and is about to be inside SHIELD's secret headquarters and it 'doesn't matter_'_?" she questioned, her tone biting.

Anyone else would have shuttered at the Calvary's voice, but Coulson just stepped forward with a shrug. "You're right, he's here, and he does know all of our security measures, so we might as well let him in and see how and why he does," he said simply to his second in command. "Now, weapons hot, this guy's good and if we need him taken down you'll get my signal, but it's to take down, not kill. Got that?"

The agents nodded and took their positions as May nodded to Koenig through the security camera to open the doors from the control room.

The steel doors began to part and revealed a man covered in snow gear which was essential for the extreme Canadian weather. He was prepared. Aware. It only made May more anxious about the situation. They had enough to deal with on base without this intruder making things more difficult or making everything worse.

"Who are you?" Coulson called from behind the wall to not show his face.

The unknown stepped into the underground base and unzipped his jacket before taking off his thick winter hat. "You got a lot of seismic activity going on for the Canadian wilderness, you know that?" he replied in an uncaring way.

May cocked her gun and came out from hiding. "Hands up or I'll shoot and this isn't an ICER," she warned menacingly.

He complied lazily.

"Now who are you and why are you here?" she questioned.

Ignoring her previous commands he began to take off his gloves. "Grant Ward, but you might know me as the 'lethal weapon,'" he introduced himself casually. "And I'm here for my wife," he announced a moment later. "Skye," he told them with a knowing grin as they blinked repeatedly back at him. "Skye Ward."

_~~End Preface~~_

"It's just a job, Skye," she said to herself in the mirror. "You've been undercover before."

Her eyes looked up and down at herself in the mirror. She looked absolutely ridiculous wearing a black shimmery... lingerie set, essentially, that was it. Well, there was a skirt, if you could call it that. It barely covered her ass and she was wearing something that resembled underwear underneath it. She was all for being racy, but this was a bit much. It didn't help that under the right lighting her boobs shined like a rainbow.

"Just not as a prostitute," she mumbled a moment later in a long sigh.

"Stripper, not prostitute," her 'handler' reminded as she came out from the bathroom with her out 'outfit' on, all red, mostly lace. She had balls, that one.

Skye turned on her. "I've been shadowing at this place for like a week and let me tell you that-"

"Those who choose to sleep with the men are doing it out of their own volition," Bobbi Morse, fellow SHIELD agent, assured her. "And they get paid for that too."

Her eyes rolled. "Please. This is a strip club run by freakin' Hydra," she insisted. "They probably make them; I am going to have to sleep with-"

"Skye, no you won't, I've been here for almost three months and have yet to sleep with anyone," Bobbi told her as she adjusted her bejeweled bra. "Are you sure you can handle this? If not I can talk to Coul-"

"NO!" she just about shouted. "Don't call him; do you know how long it took me to convince him to let me go back out into the field, let alone undercover doing _this_?" Skye questioned as she gestured to her outstanding cleavage. "One flicker of doubt that I can't do this and I'll be extracted before I even have the chance to change so I will have to look at the man I consider a father wearing...nothing," she went on and looked at herself in the mirror again. "And if that doesn't cause a meltdown on both ends I don't know what will. I can do this, I've been good for weeks."

Bobbi smiled with a nod. "Well, I have to admit, you were what I had in mind for the job."

Skye stood up straighter with a proud smirk. "Me? Really?" Coming from Bobbi Morse that meant a lot.

"Yes, but you have to remember your cover and why you're here," Bobbi told her in a stern voice. "He comes here every night he's not working and has yet to even get a lap dance. He sits in his chair in the corner of the room, scotch on the rocks in hand and stares. He watches everyone and everything. His eyes do linger on the brunettes, the more innocent looking the better and he respects those who don't flinch when he talks. He's Hydra's 'lethal weapon' and everyone knows it, agents and strippers, they all fear him. You can't, Skye, okay? We need you to become his girl."

"Yeah, because that sounds so simple and un-prostitute like," she replied quietly.

"Skye, you're not going to sleep with him. But everyone has their favorite and we need you to be his. We need intel and if he trusts you and gets a few drinks in him we'll get what we need. You just have to be appealing to him, that's all we need," Bobbi told her. "If you happen to make out with him well... that's as far as it goes. Okay?"

Skye nodded. "Okay, I'm a good kisser, shouldn't be too hard." Hopefully he was a good kisser too...

"If his hands wander only let it go as far as you're comfortable with. If you stand up to him he'll respect you all the more for it," Bobbi continued with her pep talk.

"If you know all of this shouldn't you be trying to be his girl?" Skye asked a small smile on her face to cover how terrified she was.

Bobbi smiled back. Skye was like her little sister, she knew she could do it, she just needed faith in herself. "Believe me, I've tried. He doesn't want me, besides I've already got my guy giving me intel," she told her.

Skye grimaced. Ew.

"That is how I know so much about him. Give these guys a few good shows, a couple drinks, and be more appealing to them than their wives all while listening and you learn a lot," she said with a wink.

"Does he have a wife?" Skye wondered a moment later. Giving a single guy your ear and, well, body was one thing, but a married one? How many morals would she have to break today?

"Ward? No. Most girls are too scared to approach him _here _of all places, you think girls on the street are going to?" Bobbi answered in a sarcastic laugh. "You can do this, Skye, I know you can. Like you said, you've been undercover before, you're just rusty. I've seen you in the field, you're good, don't worry. It's like riding a bike," she went on encouragingly. "The Calvary was your S.O., you can do anything if you put your mind to it."

She took in a deep breath and nodded. "I got this. I just need to be his girl, the guy who everyone is scared to look at and has yet to take a liking to anyone, I have to be his girl," she said to herself. "Are we sure he isn't gay? Because I mean Hunter could do this and it would be hilarious-"

"He's not gay," Bobbi laughed. "That I do know, and as lovely as it would be to watch my ex-husband come on to a man we don't need him. We need you."

Skye nodded and let out a puff of air. "No pressure, just get a guy to like me who doesn't like anyone. Shouldn't be too hard."

With one last once over in the mirror Bobbi nodded towards the doors and Skye followed suit.

"It's your first night not in training so you won't be doing too much, making drinks mostly, since you're a good bartender, you're welcome by the way."

Skye smiled at her surrogate big sister. Bobbi had been teaching her how to drink and make drinks for years.

"They are going to have the guys look you over and interact a little before anyone tries to pick you. Make sure Ward picks you or else this is all for nothing," Bobbi reminded her for the millionth time. "He's-"

"Important, Bob, I know," she cut her off. "I can do this, just give me a chance," she went on as they entered the main floor of the club. It was dimly lit, lavishly decorated, and crawling with Hydra agents and strippers alike.

Bobbi had been given the mission to infiltrate months ago to get intel. Ever since the SHIELD-Hydra split their side had been taking a bit of a beating. They were short on agents, ammo, tech, practically everything. They needed information, intel that could help them surprise Hydra when they were transporting supplies and take them as their own, to learn of their upcoming moves, and other things of the sort.

They already had two agents at Hydra HQ, Simmons being one of them and that scared Skye to death. Jemma wasn't trained for combat, she went to the smarty academy, while Skye dueled in communications and becoming a specialist. At least she could take care of herself, but if Jemma was found out—she shook her head at the thought. If Jemma could go undercover with no physical training she could do it with it, even after all the changes in her life recently.

She had to do this, get back in to the field and prove herself, or Coulson and May would never let her do it again. She had to do this and do it well.

It was just one mission, one simple mission, become Grant Ward's girl, get close, and get intel. He was the most important man in the room, he knew of all the missions, all the findings, was high up, and incredibly dangerous. He was trusted, respected, and feared by everyone in the room even if he wasn't liked.

She had to do this and she could do it, she just couldn't get too freaked out or it would all go to hell.

Simple. Right? Maybe.

Bobbi greeted everyone, male and female alike, smiling seductively as she did. That woman was a force to be reckoned with and someone Skye had looked up to for years. If she had half the confidence and strength as Bobbi she could get this job done no problem, she just had to tap into it.

"Right corner, ten o'clock," Bobbi said as they settled behind the bar.

Skye's eyes moved casually, observing the room as they did before widening. Grant Ward was in a red cushy chair, one leg crossed over the other (the 'manly' way of course) wearing all black in jeans, shoes, and button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His black hair was maybe half an inch long and he had about a day or two of growth on his face, along with a red scratch on his cheek, obviously new.

"Not bad to look at, huh?" Bobbi broke into her thoughts.

She turned back, knowing she was caught. "I, um, well," she stopped and cleared her throat. "I just- didn't know, well-"

"Just your type, I know," Bobbi laughed with a knowing wink.

"I- don't have a type!" she squeaked, feeling herself begin to loosen up.

"Please, you so go for the 'devil may care, I do what the fuck I want when I want, forget the rules' guys, admit it!" Bobbi began to tease.

Skye's eyes turned into slits. "Listen, that was one phase before I- shut up!" she exclaimed and turned pink.

They were never going to let Miles go, where they? Date one douche who thought he was a badass (and he totally was _not_) and they typecast ya. It was _not_ her type! If so she would like Hunter- oh gosh, don't go there. She was still paying candy ransoms to Fitz (and continually rooting for him to get a monkey even though Coulson would never let him) after letting it slip about one stupid dream she had over a year ago. She didn't like Hunter that would be gross, they acted like brother/sister now, but when they first met she had to admit he was easy on the eyes.

"See, you look half innocent, just the way I need ya," the elder specialist continued.

Skye's face stayed a light shade of crimson. "Shut up or I will hurt you when this is over," she warned.

Bobbi smirked. "You'll try." Her handler's eyes scanned the room behind her. "The guys are all looking at you now that you're out of training, that's good. Here, you're up," she stated.

"Up? Up how? To dance?" she asked in succession, her nerves returning.

"That will come later, but don't worry, you'll nail it," Bobbi insisted, handing her a glass of scotch on the rocks with a tray. "See how he's shaking his near-empty drink?" she questioned and continued before Skye could check, "it means he's ready for another."

"That's just known?" Skye asked. "He doesn't even ask? That is kind of an ass move, I mean, we're strippers, not maids—and wow, I never thought that sentence would come out of my mouth."

Bobbi grinned. "Give him lip like that and he might just strike up a conversation," she said and Skye didn't know if she was teasing or not. "Your job is to give him his new drink."

"That won't seem...suspicious? I mean, doesn't someone else already cater to him?"

"Um, no. He made a girl cry last week when he asked her to speak up, we've been taking turns since," Bobbi informed her. "Plus, he's been gone on a mission since then so..." she trailed off with a shrug.

Skye couldn't help but laugh. "Alright then, it looks like I'm up," she agreed.

"That's my girl, go get him."

With one last breath she exited the bar and began to make her way towards the man they called the 'lethal weapon' and couldn't help but think about what kind of name that was. Above all though, it was a bad one, who came up with that? They needed someone more creative to nickname people around here.

Keeping her nerves under control she came up to his left side, tray in hand, and tossed some hair over her shoulder.

His head turned when she made it and he looked her up and down, analyzing her openly.

"Mel Gibson fan?" she asked casually.

Inwardly, she kicked herself. That was the first thing she said to him? Seriously? What the fuck?

"Come again?" he replied, his eyebrows crinkling together, his voice harsh.

She had to fix this. "The nickname, the 'lethal weapon' you know." Yeah, that was helping. "I mean, they were alright movies for their time, but I am more of a 'Die Hard' fan, can't say that would be a good name either though."

He just stared at her, almost menacingly.

"Anyway," she went on, keeping her voice from wavering. "I'm new and was told to give you your drink. Scotch on the rocks, right?" She bent down and held the tray out, giving him ample view of her cleavage. "Although, I have to say I was half expecting it to be a vodka martini, shaken not stirred, by the looks of you."

Could she make any more stupid movie references? James Bond, really?

Without a word he exchanged the full glass with his empty one.

She straightened herself and smiled as seductively as she could. "Alright then, unless you need anything else," she said in a husky voice before walking away.

As she walked she turned to look at him to find he was staring at her retreating figure. She smiled again and finished her way to the bar.

"What the hell did you say to him?" Bobbi demanded to know.

Skye almost laughed. "I have no idea, I think I called him James Bond," she admitted while stopping herself from busting out in laughter at how ridiculous this seemed all of a sudden.

Bobbi smiled at her too. "He is still staring at you," she stated.

She looked over her shoulder to find he was and so she licked her lips before looking at Bobbi again. "That's good, right?"

"Well, it either means you did it or he wants to shoot you," she replied.

"Well, I only have a small switchblade on me so that is gonna get messy when we meet in the back alley later," Skye said seriously before smiling.

Bobbi looked her up and down with a shake of the head. "Damn girl, I knew I needed you for this. I have the feeling you'll be making a total fool out of yourself with him again real soon."

Skye nodded in agreement. "Probably when I make my stage debut. Can you picture it? I'll fall off the pole or maybe even off the stage and into his lap," she sighed.

"His chair is kind far away from the stage, how far you do plan on falling?" Bobbi continued their banter.

"Dude, you don't know, I could become an acrobat or some shit up there. I'm not doing too well with first impressions today," Skye insisted.

Bobbi's eyes floated over her shoulder. "Shit. He's gone."

"What?" Skye turned to see that Ward's chair was empty. "Is that normal for this time of the night? It's still early, right?"

Bobbi nodded. "Yeah, it's not his usual," she breathed in a low tone. "Fuck, I have to go, Bakshi is here."

"Bak- what?"

"My guy, er, whatever. You're on your own for a bit. Don't be too appealing to the other guys, alright?" Bobbi insisted, adjusting her bra one more time.

"Wearing this?" Skye questioned, looking down only to be greeted by her boobs again.

Bobbi smiled a little. "You'll be fine, you got this, just make some drinks."

With that her friend walked away, her hips swaying with the music. She approached a suave-looking man and kissed him on the cheek as he slipped his arm low around her waist.

Skye couldn't help but think that if Hunter saw his ex now he wouldn't be happy about it. Hell, he wasn't happy that she was going with Bobbi, he wouldn't be happy with her right now if he saw her.

She shook her head and smiled at the man who was waving her over for a drink request. Be a bartender, that was all she had to do tonight, for now. Her eyes flicked to Ward's chair again to find it empty still and her gut began to twist.

She made some kind of impression, that was for sure, she just wasn't sure if it was good or bad yet.

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**Okay this is the first chapter, what do you think?  
Did you think the Skye/silent Ward dialogue was funny? Because I was cracking up as I wrote it!**

**I DO have a question for you guys!:  
Do you want me go to between Skye and Ward in the present (the preface) or just keep it in the past and work my way up to it?  
I could do either.  
Also: is there anything you guys want to see because I can maybe work it in if I am able.**

**PLEASE REVIEW if you want me to continue or I will just stick with Remember Me or forget about this all together.  
I just couldn't stop thinking about it. Thanks.**

**\- Kay**


	2. Modern Fairytale

**OH MY GOSH GUYS!  
****I thought I was going to get like 6 reviews (and be happy with that!) but to get over 30! WOW. I can't contain my happiness and the writer inside me is just becoming so inspired thanks to you all!  
****And thank you so much for actually giving feedback! Most people don't read my Author's Notes and just say 'it was great' or something of the sort (which I appreciate!) but to have things to go off of is great, so thanks for that as well! **

**Now to answer some of your questions:  
-Ward was never in SHIELD in this universe so he and Skye don't know one another.  
-There will be Bobbi/Hunter in this (just moreso later - they_ are_ kind of undercover right now).  
-There will also be Phil/Melinda (I ship that hardcore, again it will just be later).**

**Aaand it seems like I will be working my way up to the present since almost everyone chose that option. If I feel like something is needed to be slipped in and the present needs to make itself known then I may do that but I don't see that happening for a bit.  
****ALSO: I was working on Remember Me but my computer died and when I got it back up what I had written was gone so I got pissed and decided to write some more for this instead. I AM still continuing that it just made me angry so here I am.**

**As always, please review :) although I don't expect nearly as many as last time it would be nice! **

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If one more ungrateful slimy man tapped on the bar for another drink instead of asking like a human being she was going to scream.

Sure, she understood the tapping on the bar, the music was loud and there was hollering going on, but to just tilt their drink at her like she remembered exactly what they had and should just get it because he moved his hand made her want to pull some Melinda May moves on them.

But she couldn't, she had to be good and become someone's favorite. At this point anything to get out from behind the bar would make her happy. Bartending was something she could do, it was something she was good at, but with these men? She'd rather listen to Fitz-Simmons and their science-y talk for hours without understanding and that was saying a lot because she hated being out of the loop.

With a smile she gave another man his drink, accepting his money in return and ignored the horrible comment that came with it. If someone called her 'sweet cheeks' one more time she was going to hurl all over the bar. It was right up there with 'sugar lips' and 'cutie pie.' The nicknames were eating her away on the inside. Now she could see how Ward got the nickname of the 'lethal weapon' - everyone in Hydra sucked in the creative department.

It had been three days since her initial encounter with him and nothing. He hadn't even come back to the club which she was taking as a bad thing for Bobbi insisted he wasn't on a mission. Her guy had told her so.

The fact that Bobbi had a guy was still so gross. She was going to have to get a guy soon too. Even without Grant taking a liking to her (and she had to admit, that hurt the pride a little bit) someone eventually would and any intel was better than no intel. SHIELD was getting a bit desperate. She was half-tempted to hack into Stark's bank account and have him make a generous donation to perhaps get out of the situation.

"Hey, Sienna, the garbage is just about over-flowing," Skye spoke up once all the men in her general vicinity were served. Finally.

The blond wearing nothing but a white bra and pantie set with matching fishnets looked over, her eyes glaring. She was of the people who probably wished looks could kill. Sienna was pretty much the head bitch in charge around here, the title Bobbi bestowed behind her back. None of the other girls liked her; she thought she was the best thing to ever happen to the club and apparently the only one to ever spend more than two minutes with Grant Ward in conversation without having some sort of bad reaction. Whether that was true or not Skye didn't know, but Sienna had seniority over her and was who she was told to go to for instruction or whatever.

"So take it out," Sienna replied before turning back to the ugly, balding man she was flirting with. Sienna didn't have just one guy, she had many guys, and it was gross. She was on the physical list, and she was getting physical with more than one man in the club. Ew.

"Isn't there a bouncer or some other guy that can go out and do it since I'm not exactly dressed for a back alley excursion?" Skye questioned.

Sienna's neck just about snapped as she looked to Skye once more. "Do you see anyone that can take it out?" she asked, resembling something along the lines of Regina George in _Mean Girls_ a bit too much. "No, and you're the rookie here, so that is your job." With that the HBIC (head bitch in charge!) turned back to one of her sugar daddies.

Skye's blood began to boil.

After earning her stripes at SHIELD she never thought she would be called that again. Then she went undercover here and got the nickname again. That was the nickname she hated the most, actually. Strippers liked to put newbies in their place though, she was learning. Unfortunately.

"Be good, don't slap a ho," she mumbled to herself while pulling the bag out from underneath the bar. Now she had to take the garbage out to the dumpster in the back alley wearing a black, lacy corset top and a bar of short-shorts that weren't exactly short-shorts of any kind. Just wonderful.

She was going to bite her tongue now, but when the mission was over she was definitely going to show Sienna where she could shove the heel of her shoe. And it was going to be glorious.

As the backdoor opened the smell of smoke filled her nostrils and she swallowed a lump in her throat.

There were men outside smoking cigars. It made her stomach drop.

Without a word to them she made her way to the dumpsters, trying to be oh ignored. She tossed the bag as quietly as she could into the metal box to not give any attention to herself.

SHIELD trained or not a girl in a back alley filled with non-sober men was not something she was comfortable with, especially as a stripper. She knew they thought less of her because of the profession and didn't want to do anything that could lead to provocation.

She smiled politely when she caught one's eye as she went to go back inside but she couldn't. It was locked. Of course. Because that was just how her night was going.

"Hey sugar, having trouble?" the man questioned and left his little circle of friends to make his way to her. He was in a suit with the tie loosened and looked mid-thirties with a too-expensive haircut that honestly made him look like a pompous asshole.

Her hand clenched to keep control. "Looks like it," she replied stiffly.

If anything happened right now she could handle it and she would, but that would blow her cover and most likely Bobbi's and it would all go to hell. That was practically not an option. If this mission got fucked because of her (well, this asshole) Coulson would never let her go out in the field again. It would just be another reason for them to treat her like she couldn't handle everything happening to her when she could. SHIELD had taught her how to control herself and everyone, including her, needed to remember that.

"Well maybe I can help you," he slurred and stepped towards her, closing the distant between them. He smelled like bourbon and cigars.

Skye's back met the door. "I, uh, I think I can take care of it, thanks though," she insisted, trying to keep herself looking tough yet innocent.

"Well I think," he began as his fingers began to make their way up her bare thigh and her stomach lurched. "That you should take care of me first."

His friends whooped and hollered. Her heart leapt to her throat in response.

No one was going to stop him; his friends were just leering at her and nodding along with him. He was drunk and what he wanted to do to her against that door... just the thought of what he considered options made her shudder. But if she could stop it without fucking up the mission she still had to take that route. She had to.

"I'm actually on bar duty tonight, I'm new so-" she stopped when he grabbed both of her wrists to restrain her.

She tried to think back to her training, to what May would do, what she told her to do in situations like this but it was all coming up blank. All she wanted to do was kick the living shit out of him and possibly make it unable for him to have children. But her body remained still like she was in shock, like there was nothing she could do.

"You're with me tonight, you got that?" he questioned before pressing his lips to her neck and his fingers slipped underneath her 'shorts.'

"Stop!" she exclaimed as she went to push him away, but suddenly he was yanked from her before she could even really react. She didn't do that, she didn't even conjure up enough force to attempt it yet.

In the blink of an eye her assailant was on the ground and Grant Ward was towering over him.

Skye's eyes widened. Now what was going to happen? She began to panic and the fact that she was panicking only made her panic more. She could not get worked up and... no that was not allowed to happen. It just wasn't. She was fine, she was_normal._

"Anderson," Grant Ward spat as he bent down towards the man. He looked... pissed. "Mind telling me just what the _fuck_ you think you were about to do?" he asked after an agonizing moment of silence, but it was a demand and everyone knew it.

By now everyone was watching, but Ward paid no attention to them or her for that matter. She couldn't help but watch, still in shock that he was there and... protecting her? What was going on here?

"I-I, Sir, you see-" Anderson, apparently, began to stutter out.

Ward squatted down in front of him and took a hold of his hand before breaking his pinky far to the left—too far to the left. A sickening snap was heard and Skye gasped. Anderson hollered in pain. What was the 'lethal weapon' doing?

"What was that?" Ward commanded to know. "And don't fucking stutter when I talk to you."

"I, um," Anderson visibly gulped and began to breathe heavily. "She's a stripper and-and I- ah!" he screamed when Ward broke another finger. She grimaced at the sound.

"I said don't stutter," he reminded him simply, an almost-evil grin covering his face. "So, you thought that just because she's a stripper you have the right to do whatever the fuck you want to her?"

"I- yes. None of the other girls- I mean, they do what we want-" he broke off in a yell when a third finger was broken. Skye winced, that noise was nasty, but it also couldn't happen to a better guy.

"Wrong answer, Anderson," Ward told him casually. "They do what they want, what they are comfortable with, not what you want. We have a list of girls that are okay with that shit, don't we?" he asked and Anderson nodded hastily. "Right, and is she on it?"

Anderson shook his head while biting down on his lip.

"What was that?" he repeated and pulled on one of the already-broken fingers.

"No!" Anderson exclaimed in pain.

"Right, we don't run that kind of place, do we?"

"No!" Anderson repeated, his voice unusually high.

"Good, now apologize to Skye," Ward ordered.

"S-Sorry," Anderson said quickly while looking at her before back to his attacker.

Ward patted him on the knee and stood. "Now, since you were so compliant I'll let you pick what you want—the rest of the fingers or wrist?" he questioned, but before the man could reply he reached down and with one more sickening snap he broke his wrist. "Never mind, you're actually an asshole," he stated before turning towards Skye, his eyes dark. "Make sure the word gets around to his friends," he said to the other men, but his eyes were on her.

She didn't know what to say. He knew her name? He was there tonight? Why did he do that? He saved her, but why?

"You alright?" he asked, looking her straight in the eye.

Her eyes went from Anderson, who was still cowering on the ground cradling his hand, back to Ward. "Yeah," she answered in a breath.

"You need back in I'm guessing." He nodded for her to back away from the door and so she did. Keys dangled from his hand as he unlocked it.

"You have keys to the place?" she wondered aloud.

He held the door open for her and cocked his head for her to go in. "I should, I own it."

The door slammed behind them. "You... own the club?" Bobbi never told her that.

He looked down at her, analyzing her like he did the other night. She didn't notice until then that he was tall, she liked tall. Inwardly she rolled her eyes, she did not have a type and was determined to stick with that. No type, but tall was nice.

"Someone's name had to go on the lease," he said with a shrug after a moment.

She smiled up at him. This was her in. "Well, thank-"

"Don't thank me," he cut her off, and then brushed passed her to go up the steps. Or not? The man had to work on his conversational skills.

The upper-level held the rooms she didn't want to go in—she wasn't on that list and was not about to add her name—but she also had an opening right now to get close to Ward. She had to take it and so she followed him up the steps.

He entered the first door and left it open. Oh. She was supposed to follow him, he wanted her to. So he was bad at conversation, but knew how to get what he wanted. She liked that too- no, she did not have a type! And she couldn't like the 'lethal weapon' either; he was a killer, a Hydra killer.

Still, relief filled her when she saw it was an office, a large, cushy office. Ward was already leaning over the desk looking at something.

"Why can't I thank you for being my hero of the night?" she asked as she closed the door behind her.

His eyes flicked up at her, and then back down. "Like I said, we don't do that shit here," he repeated. "And Anderson's an asshole, I've wanted to do worse for a while."

Skye nodded as she slowly made her way over to him, trying to walk seductively, but didn't think she quite pulled it off. "So you're a strip club owner with morals?" she wondered flirtingly. She had to keep this going somehow.

"I'm the cover for a club where suits blow off steam and yes, have sex with strippers, but if she doesn't want it he doesn't get it," he insisted, his eyes looking over paperwork. "I hate people and they avoid me, but I make it clear no one does something they don't agree with."

She bit her lip and looked him over. He still had growth on his face that wasn't quite a beard and was wearing another black button up with dark jeans. She did not have a type, but he did bad well.

"Anything else?" he spoke up, breaking the silence as he sat down in his leather chair.

"Yeah, you know my name?" she asked and walked around the desk to stand near him.

He looked her up and down. "I know everything about my club, Skyelur Cay, dropped out of high school at sixteen, but got your GED at seventeen. You've worked odd jobs ever since, waitressing, bartending, customer service, and now stripping and bartending. Barbara Moore brought you in, but I think Bakshi calls her Babs, she's his girl. She trained you and I believe you are roommates, right?"

Damn, he was efficient. And she was happy the fake paper trail she left behind held up, Bobbi's too. "Wait, Bakshi calls her Babs? I have got to call her out on that," she laughed.

If she knew any better she would swear he grinned for a second at her response to his knowledge of her life, but he did nothing else in return.

"Okay, you know so much about me I think I have the right to know one thing about you, Boss-Man," she insisted and hopped up to sit on his desk. If this was her chance she had to keep this going. Her legs crossed over one another as she situated herself to face him. "Is it true you have never had a lap dance or is that just the girls talking and upset you have no interest in them?"

He grinned again for a moment.

"Sienna is especially upset about it," she added on.

"I've had lap dances before," he told her. "Just not here and not for a long time." He leaned back in his chair, his eyes studying her. "I prefer my female company not to be paid for keeping me company," he stated.

She nodded. "So you are a strip club owner with morals."

"I'm a front, a front that doesn't pay for sex, that's all," he insisted.

She smirked. "Why pay for something when you can get it for free, right?"

"Something like that." Ward's eyes flicked to the clock so her's did too.

"Shit, I have to go, my stage debut is in, like, five minutes," she swore and stood back on her feet.

His hand grabbed her wrist. "No, it's not," he told her. His hands were rough, but he was gentle at the touch.

Skye sat back down on the desk, her eyebrows lifted. "It's not?"

He let go and she took in a deep breath to hopefully regulate the beat of her heart. "No, you're free to go home," he said.

Shit. "I'm fired- but I-"

"You're not fired, Skye," Ward cut her off. "But I think after Anderson's stunt you shouldn't have to finish the rest of the night, don't you?" he questioned rhetorically.

That was... sweet? What was this? He wasn't acting like any sort of 'lethal weapon' at all. "That's nice of you, but Bob- Babs is my ride, roommates remember?" she replied. "And she isn't off until four like I'm supposed to-"

"She can go too," he assured her.

She didn't want to leave; she had to keep the window with him right then open. "I- we need the money and-"

"You'll still be getting paid for your scheduled hours. Any other excuses not to get out of work?" he questioned with an eyebrow raised.

She smiled softly, he was funny. "Yeah, what about Bakshi?"

"If he has a problem tell him to come to me and when he's too afraid to I'll know he got the message," Ward replied.

"Everyone's scared of you, huh?" she said in a low tone.

"Except you," he answered with a nod.

Skye smiled brightly now. "At least I make an impression, right?"

"I won't deny you that," he agreed, that lovely evil-yet-not grin on his face.

"What would you deny me?" she wondered as he stood and she followed suit. "Other than allowing me to thank you for being my knight in shining armor tonight," she added on.

Ward looked down at her. "I thought you were going home," he replied.

"Aren't you good at staying on subject," she mumbled and smiled up at him. "Alright, alright, I'm going, but first," she stopped and grabbed onto his arm as she got on her tip toes to kiss the corner of his mouth. Her heart thudded in response. "I'm saying thank you because I've never been one to always do what I'm told."

He didn't move away, but didn't do much else either. "But you _are_ going home," he said, but it sounded like an order.

"I said always, didn't I?" she reminded, her voice shaky. Her heart was still beating wildly in her chest. "So thank you, lethal weapon," she finished as her fingers slipped from his arm and she went for the door.

"The answer is no," Ward spoke up and she turned. "I'm not a Mel Gibson fan. I didn't pick the name."

She smiled. He remembered.

He then sat back down in his chair. "And don't be surprised if the guys don't bother you anymore," he added on.

"Yeah, why's that?"

He leaned back in the chair, his arms over his chest. "See you tomorrow."

Just like that Skye knew she was in, she didn't know how or why, but he chose her. And her heart thudded again, but this time it made her smile.

* * *

**Okay I don't like this chapter, it fought me the whole time and I think it shows. I'm sorry.  
****I'm trying to make Ward be emotionless for a little bit longer, yet show he's intrigued.**

**SO ONE QUESTION FOR YOU GUYS:  
How do you feel about sex scenes?  
I can gloss over or write them, your pick.**

**Review please, I know this chapter isn't up to par with the first, but as I said it fought me.**

**\- Kay**


	3. Acting A Bit Crazy

**You guys started off my new year so well!  
Thanks so much for everything, I love hearing your thoughts and reactions, you guys are amazeballs!  
Please always stick with me :)**

**For the sex scenes: Some will be written (probably more in the beginning) and some will be glossed, just depends on the situation.  
Their sex(life) might not be normal for a bit...you'll understand later. No, it's not weird or gross, just a storyline I am considering.  
I also saw that some of you had trouble viewing the second chapter, I did as well, but eventually it showed up. Yeah?**

**Still working on Remember Me. I'm at T.R.A.C.K.S so you know what is going to happen (not changing that!) and so it's proving a bit difficult. Hoping to have it out in the next day or two.**

**So here is chapter 3  
**

* * *

"Well, it's official," Bobbi announced as she made her way behind the bar.

Skye's eyes flicked to her then back to the drink she was making. "What, your divorce?"

"Ha ha," her friend replied in a dry tone.

"Oh, wait, let me guess again, um," she pleaded teasingly. "Charlie Sheen tested positive for tiger blood!?" she exclaimed and handed the drink over to man with his sight on his wallet.

"Can I tell you now?" Bobbi questioned, only sounding slightly annoyed.

Skye smiled. "Does it have to do with our resident HBIC?"

This time Bobbi nearly squealed with joy. "Yep because I'm talkin' to her!"

"What?" she laughed. Bobbi tended to run less bubbly and more the strong, silent type that smiles at funny jokes but doesn't make a spectacle out of herself. Skye was usually the one to snort and make everyone else erupt. So in other words, her being really excited meant something big had to of happened.

"You're in girl!" she insisted. "Like in-in, I was just asking around and you are not someone to be trifled with, missy," she went on excitedly. "Ward sent it around to the boys you're no longer a free agent, no pun intended."

"Bakshi's not here yet, how did you find out?" Skye questioned as she moved closer.

"I may only have one guy, but all straight men talk when confronted with boobs," Bobbi stated. "Besides, they're all talking about it—his heroic move of stopping that jackass and breaking his fingers which is a good thing because I have half a mind to go do it to the other hand after what he did," she mumbled on. "Anywho, guys say we gossip but they are just as bad."

Skye smiled to herself. He _liked_ her. He liked _her_. She was never one to get picked; she was more of the kind that someone ended up with. To be picked for something felt oddly satisfying and by someone with so much power made it all the better. It wasn't supposed to feel personal, it was the job, she was a spy, but it _felt_ personal. This was what was supposed to happen, it was the goal, but for it to actually have worked out without any big hang-up was nice.

A warmth spread through her belly.

The first choice, that was what she was. It was such a simple thing that meant something to her, but he could never know that. With him she had to be cool, sexy, interesting, not the type that made a big deal out of being picked. That was very uncool even if it was completely like her; she was just a tad neurotic that way.

"Skye." She was brought back to reality by Bobbi waving a hand in her face.

"Hm, yeah, cool," she mumbled out. "Wait, why am I the HBIC now? You think I'm a bitch?" she asked a moment later.

Bobbi chuckled. "You're the HBIC now because you're Ward's girl. Sienna only thought she was in charge because she's been here the longest, but that doesn't mean shit next to being the owner's girl. There is a hierarchy you know," she insisted.

"You didn't answer my question; you think I'm a bitch?" Skye repeated while batting her eyes.

"Shut up, we're girls, we're all a bit bitchy one way or another," Bobbi replied. "But I'd watch out for Sienna, that girl plays dirty."

"That girl _is_ dirty," Skye corrected and Bobbi laughed.

"You've also, uh, been taken off the line-up for the stage," Bobbi added on. "Permanently, so there is that."

Skye smiled to herself. "That's good, right?" Did it mean he cared?

Bobbi nodded. "Yeah, that and you're not the best dancer," she teased, kind of. "It means he's not willing to share, that is always good," she stated seriously and winked at the younger agent. "You're doing great, Skye, don't worry. But you're about to be off bar duty."

Skye followed Bobbi's eyes to find that Ward had entered the room and was talking to someone she didn't know (that wasn't a big deal, she didn't know anyone by their name while Bobbi knew everyone). The conversation, if it even was one since he wasn't great at having those, didn't last more than a minute before he made his way to his chair.

She grabbed a glass from under the bar filled it with ice for his scotch on the rocks. "Looks like I'm up again."

Bobbi sent her away with a butt smack for encouragement that only caused Skye to roll her eyes. The amount of time between leaving the bar and making her way to Ward left just enough time for her to wonder what to call him. Grant? Agent Ward? Mr. Lethal Weapon? They hadn't exactly exchanged pleasantries in that way.

Sure, he knew her name, working history, and probably birthday, star sign, and social security number, but she didn't know squat about him other than his reputation. He wasn't a talkative guy and definitely not someone she wanted to insult when she was trying to get close to him (and stay as his girl).

She was his girl, that still made her want to giggle like a school girl. She was so lame.

"Shaken not stirred, right 007?" she greeted jokingly, holding the tray out in front of him. She had to call him something! And asking right off the bat was even lamer than doing a little dance at the fact that she was his girl (or the fact that she actually succeeded in something).

Ward took it without even looking up. "Something like that. Sit."

It was a command and she knew it, and while it annoyed her to be given orders like a dog she also knew to follow it. There was an ottoman in front of his chair that hadn't been there before and that was where she took her seat. It had been placed there for that reason, somehow she knew that, but she wondered why he wouldn't just want her to take residence in his lap. It was a strip club after all.

As the mission went on she only had more questions about Grant Ward, questions that didn't necessarily have to do with Hydra. He fascinated her—he was different. He had a room full of beautiful, willing girls, girls dressed in practically nothing in some cases and he was choosing to spend time with her. Why? It was good, but it was also a bit of a mystery to her.

She leaned back on her hand with her legs crossed. Tonight she had dressed in a black strapless mini dress that had peek-a-boo cut outs up the sides at the bottom along with black stockings and pumps. It actually felt nice to be wearing something that covered up more than what she had been wearing lately. Bobbi, per her normal, had dressed her because she was better at the 'stripper look' than Skye who was usually more conservative (at least more conservative than this). Her hair, which had been given blonde highlights before the mission, was down and wavy. Sometimes Skye felt like the only reason Bobbi really wanted her on the mission was because she liked to dress her up. Even if that wasn't the case she knew underneath it all Bobbi enjoyed it.

"So what did you do last night?" Skye broke the silence that was somehow comfortable even though they were just staring at another. "I had a date with Netflix because I have this awesome boss who gave me the night off," she teased. "I also may have gorged on pizza with my roommate."

Ward grinned into his glass. His grin was so contagious somehow. How did people find him scary? She found him pretty adorable. Sometimes she didn't know exactly what to do or say around him, but she didn't fear him.

"Sounds nice," he mumbled after he swallowed. "I had less pleasant things to deal with here."

"That guy is still alive, isn't he?" she questioned only being half-serious, or sounding that way. She did hope he was still alive even if he was a jackass.

His grin turned into a smirk. "He might wish he isn't for a while, but he is," he answered truthfully.

"So it seems like all the guys around here are suddenly are aware of my eyes and shoes, you know anything about that?" she wondered as he took another sip of his drink.

His own dark eyes scanned the room before nodding slowly. "Just had to do some reminding of what kind of manners are expected from the regulars around here, that's all," he said in a low tone that made a shiver go up her spine.

"Mhm, and that's why I got removed from the stage list as well?" she asked, moving her head so she was in his line of vision.

"That was because I don't know how much I believe they'll remember their manners when you're up there," he answered. "Or how well I'll remember mine."

His admission made her turn slightly pink. He all but admitted he liked her, was attracted to her, and didn't want the others to do the same.

"That's... sweet, I think," she told him frankly and he chuckled. "So what should I call you, Mr. Manners?" she found the nerve to ask. "I don't think you liked being called a Mel Gibson fan," she joked.

He let out a bark-type laugh and looked down at his now empty drink. "Grant," he stated while shaking the glass.

"I'll get you another," Skye offered and stood.

"No, you can sit down," Ward insisted and took his hand in hers to guide her back down to the ottoman. "Sienna can get it, can't you Sienna?" he said and it was only then that she noticed the blonde had appeared next to him, but he wasn't even looking at the girl.

She cleared her throat. "Um, yeah," she answered, trying to smile. "I mean, yes," she said in a more sultry tone, but Grant was looking at Skye.

"Do you want anything?" he asked her.

Skye looked up at Sienna who was glaring before she shook her head. "No, I'm fine, thanks." With that the stripper walked away in a huff. "You know, you're not making me very well liked among the girls," she sighed exaggeratedly.

"Sienna was never going to like you," he replied. "And she's the only one who is stupid enough to be jealous of you," he added on a moment later.

Was that a compliment or insult? She couldn't tell. Skye bit her lip. "And what is there to be jealous of, _Grant_?" she asked and used his name for the first time. It sounded nice coming from her lips she realized. Grant. Hm.

"Me," he said easily as he took in a breath. "Taking interest," he finished.

"Taking interest, huh?" she mumbled, leaning in closer to him. Her foot rubbed against his shin. "So you taking interest gets me out from behind the bar, guys not thinking my nipples are eyes, and far away from dancing. What does you actually liking me get me? A raise?" she teased.

"You want a raise?" he questioned. "You can have one, I don't care."

Skye laughed in disbelief as Sienna brought him his drink. "You're not serious, are you?"

He didn't say a word to Sienna and she just walked away even more angrily than before. "I don't care about money, Skye," he insisted.

"Spoken like someone who has it," she responded without batting an eye, not caring if it might offend him. She knew what it was like to be dirt poor; she had lived out of a van for a period of time and barely ate. It wasn't fun; it wasn't some romantic state of mind. Money mattered one way or another.

"I know," he said with a nod. "You know what I do, Skye, I don't claim to not be what I am," he began a moment later while swishing his drink about in a circle. "I get paid well for it and I do own this club. Money is low on my priority list."

"What's high on your list?" Skye asked softly while looking into his eyes.

"Surviving." Ward looked away before standing, obviously not wanting to continue to talk on the subject, but it intrigued the hell out of her. "Show's about to start, want to go upstairs?" he questioned and this time it was a question which surprised her. He usually demanded.

She stayed seated. "That is a list I don't want on," she told him. He was her mission but having sex with him for the sake of it was not something she was going to compromise on. Kissing and stuff, sure, that was pretty much harmless. Besides, at this point she was not opposed to swapping a little spit.

He grinned down at her. "If I wanted that I would have it, I told you that yesterday."

Skye stood with him as the lights dimmed for the first act of the night and nodded. He linked his hand through hers and led her through the club towards the back hall that held the steps. His hand was course and firm, but held onto her fingers gently. It was sweet.

She caught Bobbi's eye from behind the bar who just winked at the situation. What Bobbi didn't know was that her stomach was bubbling with anticipation and her mentor/friend/handler wouldn't approve of that.

Missions like this weren't supposed to be personal, it was for SHIELD, this was for the organization that had protected her one way or another for the majority of her life. Yes, she had to get close to him before getting any real intel, there had to be a level of trust between them in order to get the information, but it was supposed to be about him taking a liking to her, not a feeling on both ends.

He was just so interesting and honest with her. SHIELD had been different since its big fall, Coulson made sure of that. The Levels were the first to go so more information was known by everyone, but there was still an air of mystery surrounding everything. Not everyone could know everything about every mission, that was just plain smarts, but she wasn't used to someone being so openly honest with her despite their surroundings.

It was refreshing.

"You don't like to see if you're getting your money's worth out of the girls?" Skye half-teased when they reached his office.

He had let go of her hand when they got to the steps and motioned for her to go first. He really did have manners, didn't he? "I'm the owner, not the manager, someone else can handle that," he said with a shrug.

"So why are you here almost every night if you're not interested or running things?" she wondered as she did a thorough scan of the room.

Fitz designed an earring that could double as a voice recorder if turned on. Her plan was to wear it, preferably in his office, and 'lose' it conveniently. After a considerable amount of time she could 'find' it and report it back to HQ. She just needed an instance in order to do the drop, like perhaps a make out session? She didn't wear the earring today, but she did have a costume-esque looking ring that recorded things around her when turned on (and it was indeed on at the moment).

She was pretending to be a stripper, putting a listening device somewhere that went under clothes wasn't an option or in certain crevices... Fitz had some fun designing things that could double as stripper attire and SHIELD listening devices. It also made him turn pink when discussed which was a plus.

"Some things are better left unknown," Grant answered as she analyzed the room.

It was pretty bare; it held a few books, a flat screen TV, his desk, and some other furniture like he had large groups in often. The one chair she took a liking to personally was one that seemed a bit like a pear on its side. It wasn't very thick so her legs would fit around it, but she would also probably fit comfortably on it and it curved up to hold your head while the end formed another hill to finish the slope or sorts. It seemed like a nice place to cuddle and watch a movie on the flat screen, but that was just her personal preference.

It was the perfect place to perform (and receive) a lap dance and maybe make out and drop an earring. It was in the middle(ish) of the room and would probably get optimal coverage of the entire area. Plus the cushy rug underneath would hide it well enough. Bobbi would be happy she now had some sort of plan. Her conflicting feelings towards the man behind the mission was something that her surrogate big sister could not know, however.

"Skye."

She turned to find Ward behind her, his eyes questioning as they analyzed her face. "Hm, what?" She zoned out, not the best thing to do when on a mission like this, it made the subject question you.

"You okay?"

His eyes were still studying her. He was trained like Bobbi, to spot suspicious behavior and take cues from someone's body language to tell if they were lying or keeping something from you. She had training in the same thing, but had a feeling that like Bobbi he was better at it than her. Her specialty was communications and computers even if she was a trained specialist.

"I'm in my boss's office," Skye murmured softly, feigning nervousness. "My boss with a scary reputation who saved me from a creep last night and gave me the night off because of it."

Ward nodded in agreement as he took a step closer to her.

"My boss who, for some reason, has taken an interest in me for, I don't know, being normal around him," she continued. "It's just a little confusing. Why do you think I'm always asking you questions?"

He smiled. "Because you're inquisitive," he answered her even though she was being rhetorical. "If I minded the questions, Skye, you would know," he told her a moment later.

She smiled back. "I believe that, trust me." They were both quiet for a moment. "I just don't understand why you don't mind, you know?"

Ward side-stepped her and made his way to the peach-chair she had been admiring earlier. He all but collapsed into it, his feet up and his arms behind his head. It did give off the 'devil may care' look, especially in his practically-black jeans and dark blue t-shirt. He had been wearing a leather jacket, but it was discarded since entering the office (not that she noticed until then—she really had to step up her spy game).

"That makes two of us," he answered after a long pause. "I don't like people, I told you that, and I meant it."

"But you... tolerate me," Skye stated, taking steps closer to him. He nodded slowly, not going to give more than that to her just then. "What next, Grant Ward? You gonna become a teddy bear on me and say you like board games?" she teased.

"If I was going to become a teddy bear I'd tell you I love board games," he replied.

She couldn't tell if he was joking or not and she almost laughed. What was with this guy and why did she like him? He was funny without really trying to, if he even was trying. She moved to stand at the end of his chair and leaned her legs against it with her arms crossed.

"Well, if you don't mind questions I have on more for now," Skye stated a moment later.

"Not surprised," Ward muttered then nodded for her to continue.

Taking a leap of faith in herself she moved to straddle his waist in the chair. His eyebrows raised, but did nothing in return. Nothing else raised either, but he wasn't a twelve year old boy so she didn't expect anything like that to happen (hopefully).

"Did you offer me that raise because you knew something like this would happen?" she asked softly, her hands on his chest. He was _firm_, damn.

Grant sat up and their noses grazed one another. Skye ignored the stomach flutters. The mission had to come first, if anything could even come second.

"No." He gave away no emotion other than intensity as he stared at her and held his hands on her waist, his fingers perfectly situated in the cut-outs to touch her skin. It was on purpose, it had to be, and she ignored how warm she suddenly felt.

Skye's heart was pounding in her chest and she looked him in the eye while licking her lips. She visibly gulped and rested her forehead against his. "What do you want from me?" she breathed, sounding incredibly honest and emotional because she was.

Grant nudged her away with his head so he could look her in the eye. "Whatever you're willing to give me," he admitted, and this time he didn't sound so robotic. He was being sincere. She had no reason to question it, when had he been anything but honest with her?

Her hands were shaking and she didn't know why. She formed a fist of his shirt to make it stop. "Okay."

She pressed her lips to his and he responded instantly. His arms wound around her waist and she gripped onto his hair (or lack thereof—that seemed to be the only thing he didn't have, hair for her to grab). They became a teeter-totter of sorts, both trying to assert dominance causing them to move back and forth as their lips clashed.

His lips were soft and hard at the same time. His mouth was warm and he tasted so good.

Skye told herself this was all for SHIELD, for the mission, but underneath it all somewhere she knew. It wasn't all for the mission, a big part of her just wanted to kiss him and after starting, after feeling him underneath her and his tongue touch hers, she never wanted to stop.

* * *

**Okay I hope I didn't end that too cliche-ly...I love cliches so they might show their ugly heads once in a while. Sue me.  
I think... I think I actually like this chapter? -gasp-**

**Alright, so Skye is still (trying) putting the mission first and thinking what is best for SHIELD but is intrigued by Grant Ward (aren't we all?). I hope I am capturing that well.  
I am also trying not to make Ward turn into a teddy bear (which I tend to do when he is alone with Skye in my fics) too soon because they are still getting to know one another and he, like her, is confused by the attraction.  
Let me know if I am capturing this well.**

**I feel like this chapter is more of Skye's inner monologue more than actual talking, but she is kind of going through an inner-battle. She is on this mission and supposed to put SHIELD first but everything she is learning about this guy she is supposed to hate she likes, you know? I hope that is coming across well too.**

**Anywho, let me know how I am doing!  
More physical SkyeWard to come (with better descriptions of it- promise). And actual action.**

**\- Kay**


	4. Sippin' On Something

**As always you guys are awesome!  
****Being so wonderful is what keeps my mind stuck on this story and giving you guys chapters!  
****(wink-wink: keep reviewing!)**

**Guest: They are getting physical quickly, try to remember what Bobbi said about love being a roller-coaster...Skye is going to identify with that.  
Other guest: I will remember to change the rating when needed, thank you :)  
Sam Rudd: I am writing Ward a bit differently than that... he does value having control, but he doesn't like complete control as you've seen. I will share more later, but thank you for your observations.**

**Here is chapter 4  
(Longest chapter yet!)  
(I started naming the chapters after the lyrics to the name of the story)  
**

* * *

He used his whole body to kiss.

No, he didn't put his hands anywhere remotely out of bounds, his lips didn't even go lower than the collarbone, but he still used his whole body. The way he cradled her head as their lips collided, or how close he held her around the waist, it wasn't just a movement. It didn't seem like it. And his lips, they were warm, they were soft, they were demanding, but they were patient too.

It was like he made up for his lack of people skills and conversations with how he kissed. And it was _great_.

The teeter-totter was good too, how they moved back and forth like they were battling for something right in front of each other. Plus it also made it seem like a PG-13 lap dance since she was moving over something that was gradually getting harder (but again, it felt great).

She moaned into his mouth when he pulled her closer and downward. His hand gripped her thigh like he wanted to do something more, but wouldn't let himself. He had a way of making sure things were wanted on both ends she adored. Still, his hand moved up to the cut-outs of her dress and she heard a rip before it felt looser.

"Sorry," Grant apologized, breathing heavily as he did, his eyes studying her face.

Skye looked down at the tattered ends of the dress. "Don't care," she mumbled before grabbing him by the back of the neck and pressing their lips together again.

It was addicting, she wanted more, so much more. He made her body feel like it was on fire and butterflies flap in her stomach like she was fourteen again, but she had never felt that at fourteen, or ever before really.

"Skye."

She was heaving from the lack of oxygen. What was with the talking? That was not on her mind at the moment which was big for her because she talked _a lot_. "What?"

"Wake up."

Her eyes opened to find Bobbi hovering over her face. It was a dream? Not fair! But it was so good and realistic and _damn._ "Oh, my God, you ruin everything!" she whined and buried further into the blankets.

"It's freezing in here," Bobbi stated with a disgruntled face.

"Yes, like your heart for waking me from my beauty sleep," Skye grumbled.

"You fell asleep," Bobbi insisted. Obviously. "C'mon, Coulson's here, he was running late," she said and nudged her awake some more.

"Tell him five more minutes," Skye pleaded and the senior agent sighed before exiting the room.

Coulson was supposed to be there around midnight, but since he was running late (he sent a text saying so) she decided to lie down. Bobbi wasn't letting her stop working out even if they were on a mission so they were up with the sun (and it was slowly killing her). May was that way too so one would think she would be used to it. Nope.

After a minute she knew if she didn't get up Coulson, who knew her sleeping habits all too well, would send Bobbi in with a pitcher of cold water, who would be all too happy to oblige. She had to sit through a briefing with the both of them, doing it pissed off was not the best way to go about it. At least she didn't have an actual sex dream before having to hang out with Coulson; there was always an upside of some sort. Having dreams about the boy you kissed was so seventh grade.

Skye huffed to herself about it. She was at least better than that, wasn't she? Apparently not.

It was approximately seven minutes (she counted) before she made it to the kitchen where good ole A.C. was making pancakes while Bobbi nursed a cup of tea. Skye considered asking for coffee, but knew that Bobbi had probably asked for it too only to be denied. It was past three a.m. so Coulson wouldn't approve. He was very paternal in that way.

"You're late," the director announced over the hiss of frying batter.

Skye gaped. "I'm late? You're three hours late and you're scolding me?"

There was no acknowledgement of her response. "Sit," he insisted, pointing to a chair behind him at the island where Bobbi already was.

She huffed. "Fine, but I'm choosing my own stool." He didn't turn to look, but she knew somehow if she didn't sit in the right chair she'd get in trouble again. Bobbi just giggled into her cup at their interaction. "Shut up," Skye mumbled.

"Sorry I'm late, I was in the middle of another important debriefing," Coulson apologized formally and it looked funny coming from the man wearing an apron. "It seems that Skye's information of the lethal weapon was heading south for a mission proved correct," he went on while passing out portions of potatoes, bacon, and pancakes.

Skye sat up straighter. Three days ago, after their make out session, he informed her he was going 'south on some business.' She thought it was some weird innuendo that was going to be shut down before he went on saying he'd be back in a few days.

"What happened? There wasn't an altercation, was there?" she questioned. "I mean, the first time he tells me he's going away and he gets made isn't the best way to start off the relationship," she went on.

"Relationship?" Bobbi asked.

"Between spy and spyee, yeah," Skye confirmed with a 'duh' face. "So what happened?" she asked Coulson again.

The director looked between the two girls. "Nothing happened, I sent one of the Koenig's to tail him, see if he was being honest with you."

"Which Koenig?" Skye wondered. Coulson's face scrunched. "You don't remember which Koenig? If it was Sam he'll get excited and do something stupid."

"Is Sam the short one?" Bobbi spoke up.

"I think they are all the same height, but Billy and Sam together is the worst, all they do is fight," Skye told her matter-of-factly.

"Eric is the one crazy about the lanyards, right?" Bobbi asked sounding confused. They all acted the same and looked the same. It was like Fury put them in a cloning machine and let them loose at different SHIELD buildings.

"No, they're all weird about the lanyards; Eric is the one who-"

"It doesn't matter which one I sent, they're all SHIELD trained so they can handle themselves," Coulson cut them off. "And I think it was Eric."

Skye shrugged. Eric would do well.

"The point is he was spotted in Havana where we already knew Garrett is. That has got to be an important base they've set up if Garrett is there and having Ward report to him personally," he went on.

"Okay," Bobbi spoke up again. "This is good; it means Skye was able to do what we brought her in for—infiltrate the lethal weapon."

"Infiltrate sounds so dirty and he does have a name you know," Skye muttered.

"Alright, I'm sorry if you're on first name bases with Hydra's most skilled agent and decorated killer, but the rest of us aren't," Bobbi insisted with a pointed look. "And I was giving you a compliment you know," she added.

"Yeah, by making it sound weird! And calling him the lethal weapon is just so bad, the nickname is killing me, someone has got to rename him," Skye sighed. "Once we kick Hydra where it hurts we are putting whoever names these people in a room and making them watch horrible B-rated movies over and over again," she stated. "I'm talking _Rubber, Hobo with a Shotgun, Sharknado_-"

"I actually liked _Sharknado_, but that is beside the point. Can we get back to the task at hand please," Coulson cut in. "I knew I should have sent you two in with someone else regularly watching over you, you act like bickering old ladies around each other-"

"We don't bicker!"

"Are you calling us old?"

Coulson rolled his eyes and held up a hand to keep them both quiet. "Skye, can you please tell us what you've learned?"

"Because you asked so nicely, yes," she replied with a smile. "Alright, Ward owns the club and has a lot of money so it crossed my mind why does he go there every night? He admitted himself he isn't the manager, he doesn't have to be there to oversee things, he has never even had a lap dance by one of the girls or anything, but he does hang there and it's not like he likes people so it means it's for another reason," she went on. "I even asked him and he said 'some other things are left unknown' which all but insinuates I'm right. There is more going on at this illegal strip club than just Hydra desk agents getting off."

"Do we have any idea what yet?" Coulson asked, looking between the both of them.

"Bakshi goes up there from time to time, so Skye's right, it's a front for more than sex," Bobbi agreed.

"I've been thinking," Skye began while cutting up her pancakes. "He has a pretty impressive set-up in his office computer wise, but you do have to see the flat screen in there, it is nice," she finished on a high note. "So there has to be something on it. If I was able to get close enough with something Fitz invents like that Wi-Fi thing at Ian Quinn's place that plants a kick-ass virus or something smart like he does," she stopped to take a bite as she shrugged. That part got too science-y for her. "Then I could maybe use my doe-eyes to convince him I know something about computers, attempt to fix it and fail, but while I'm on it I can remotely get the information seeded to one of my computers at HQ so we can figure out what he is up to."

Coulson nodded slowly. "Do you think you could convince him to let you behind it if it's really important?"

"You should see him around her, boss, he'd probably let her attempt if he thought it would make her happy," Bobbi stated.

"I'm kind of an awesome stripper," she joked.

"Don't worry," Bobbi broke out in a laugh at the older man's grimace. "She hasn't done anything. The night she was supposed to take the stage for the first time Ward ended up breaking some asshole's fingers who got handsy and took her off the list indefinitely," she filled him on. "She's in, he's completely taken with her, and that's what we needed. He acts weird around her, almost human."

"I know he's a Hydra killer and all that," Skye started a moment later. "But I can't help but feel like there is a bigger story there. He wasn't born a killer, I don't think anyone really is, something made him the way he is. I really want to get underneath his skin and know what makes him tick. That is one of the next things I'm after." Coulson stared at her and nodded slowly. "I can handle it, trust me, I don't find him lethal at all. I actually think he's pretty funny."

"Yeah, he's a riot," Coulson mumbled. "What is the plan with the devices Fitz already gave you, we could use some ears in there as soon as possible."

Skye smiled excitedly. "Already got a plan in motion for once he's back, let me tell you all about it."

Coulson stayed until six a.m. talking strategy (and catch up with what was going on at HQ) before heading out for something positively classified to do, Skye was sure. Or he had a marathon on the Food Network to get to, both viable options when it came to their director. They definitely shared their quirky-ness.

"You're doing good," Coulson stated as he put on his suit jacket near the door.

Skye nodded. "I told you I can do this. I know you worry, but I was trained to do this stuff," she reminded him.

"I know you can do this," he assured her. "I know what you're capable of."

She bit her lip. "Did you know everything I was capable of when you recruited me?" she asked, avoiding eye contact.

"No, but I know even now you're going to do amazing things, Skye," he admitted. "I know you think that because of what you can do now that we look at you differently. We don't. You're still just Skye to us, we're family, that isn't going to change," he stated.

She smiled at his words. "I think it's that I see everything differently," she told him a moment later. "Nothing is normal anymore, especially me."

"Skye, you think things were normal before? You're talking to a guy who was dead for days because he got stabbed by Thor's bastard brother," he reminded her in a laugh. "The world is weird, we just try to keep it in check. This is just something that, once you're ready, we can try to see how it can be used to your benefit if you want."

"What, you have Fitz building some earthquake proof room?" she asked jokingly, but he raised an eyebrow. "I don't even wanna know, I have enough to do here," she sighed.

Coulson chuckled. "I was being serious, you're doing great and with all the pressure you're under I'm sure Melinda will be proud."

"You two on first name bases now?" Skye wondered with wagging eyebrows of her own. "Do I have to get used to Mom and Dad sleeping in the same room or something?"

They both paused at her references to the two elder agents. That was what they were to her even if none of them ever voiced it.

"I know," her voice cracked, "that ever since my father made himself known you guys have been worried, especially with my new found ability," she went on. "But I don't care what he says, he's not my father, he's more like... my sperm donor," she told him. "He can't take a position that isn't up for grabs."

He blinked like he was holding something back before coughing a bit awkwardly. "That means... a lot to me, Skye, thank you."

Like any other family they weren't good at sharing feelings, but she couldn't help but throw herself at him in a hug that it took a minute for him to respond to. "Thank you," she whispered in return.

"They might call Ward Hydra's lethal weapon," he started when they pulled away. "But with how you were trained... I saw something in you when you kept hacking us as the Rising Tide. It's why I recruited you and put you through comms academy while I also had May secretly training you to be a specialist. They may call him the lethal weapon, but you're kind of our secret weapon and I need you to know that I know you can do this."

Skye laughed. "I'm the secret weapon now? When we take Hydra down you're sitting in that room with those guys watching horrible movies so we can show you how bad you are at this creative stuff," she insisted.

He smiled down at her. "You just remember who the director around here is."

She watched him leave before heading back in to the kitchen of the apartment her and Bobbi shared. "So how long was he here before you woke me up?" she asked with her arms crossed.

Bobbi stopped in the middle of putting her hair up. "A few minutes I guess," she answered with a shrug.

"He wasn't three hours late, Bob, that's not Coulson," Skye stated. "I know he believes I can do this, but he worries because my father found me and he has May worrying in his ear. I know he wanted to check up on me and he wanted to talk to you alone about it. I'm not mad, I just want to know."

"Skye, you can do this if anyone of us thought you couldn't-"

"Me, May, and Coulson, we don't have a normal relationship even though none of us talk about it. If I was a regular agent they would just have faith, but I'm not. So, how long was he here before you woke me up?" Skye insisted.

Bobbi let out a long breath. "About forty-five minutes, but I told him everything is fine, you're handling yourself and doing exactly what we brought you in to do," she assured her. "He's just- a dad," she stated.

Skye nodded. "I told you I wouldn't be mad, I just want the truth. Now, I'm going to bed since today's my day off for training _and_ work," she said in a yawn before padding down the hall.

x-o-x-o

"I just talked to Brick and- who names these people?!" Skye questioned as she entered the bar a few days later.

Bobbi laughed as she poured a beer. "His name is actually Brick, we just call him Brickwall because he's huge," she replied with a grin.

"Well, he's alright then," Skye muttered. "Anyways, my position has officially been changed from dancer-slash-bartender to just bartender and I got a raise," she announced and slapped the piece of paper that said so down on the bar. "Which doesn't really make sense since it means less work, but whatever."

"Well aren't you a lucky duck!" Bobbi teased while reading over the paper herself. "Guess that means your favorite weapon won't be getting any dances himself, huh?"

Skye shrugged. "You know as much as I do, I mean he said he doesn't like getting dances here because he owns the place. So maybe he did it because if I'm not technically a dancer I can give him one without breaking whatever moral code he has going on?" she guessed.

"A trained killer with a moral code, how sweet," Bobbi mumbled under her breath and Skye fought to keep a comeback inside.

There was more to him, she knew it, she didn't know how but she did. There was more to the story than him just being a dick with a gun that did whatever he was told. And she was going to figure out what it was; something about how he was wired fascinated her. Maybe it was because he was like a robot and she liked coding and wanted to know why he was the way he was. Maybe she could rewire him?

Rewire him? Why did she want to do that?

A ball of hope made itself known in her chest.

That wasn't the mission—sure it _could_ be a mission, but it wasn't. Her mission was to be the spy, get inside his head, get the information and eventually get out. This wasn't a preteen movie where the girl turned the bad boy into a good boy. There could be no outlasting effects even if he was the best kisser she had come across. But just because it wasn't going to last doesn't mean she couldn't enjoy the kissing while she had the chance, right?

Right.

She grabbed a glass from under the bar. "I'm going to take a forward approach," she stated while filling it with ice.

"Um, you're in a strip club, I don't think we really are sit on the sidelines types of girls," Bobbi replied, smiling as she did.

Skye rolled her eyes. "I'm going to meet him up in his office before he comes down here, besides," she stopped and purposefully played with her earring. "I have ulterior motives," she said jokingly with wagging eyebrows.

"Is he even here yet?" her follow agent wondered.

She didn't know, she hadn't seen him, but she felt like he was here. He usually came down in about twenty minutes or so to sit in his favorite chair and shake his glass like a caveman so some girl would bring him another. "I guess we'll find out."

With a scotch on the rocks in hand Skye made her way past a big man guarding the stairs she had never really noticed before. Had he always been there? Every time she went upstairs it was with Grant so he led the way. Either way he just nodded and stepped aside which was oddly nice, like she had the power to get up the stairs but others didn't.

Is this what it felt like to be high in the ranks at SHIELD before the levels were done away with? Because it felt pretty damn cool to finally be one of the chosen few (even if she still agreed with the fact that the levels were shitty).

She stopped at a mirror that was in the hallway to look herself over. She dressed herself today (mostly) in a pair of black faux-leather high-waisted shorts that were positively skin tight and particularly teeny (meaning there was more covering her waist than below her bum) with a light purple ripped shirt that only passed her boobs by a few inches and her hair up in a clip. The bra underneath matched the faux-leather shorts and she added motorcycle boots to finish it off because the constant pumps and heels were killing her feet (literally). She was a boots girl.

Finally she came up to his door and knocked awkwardly (what was she going to do, announce herself?) before just walking in. If he was doing something important the door would be locked, right?

Well, she found him cell phone in hand in the middle of the office. It was the first time she'd seen him in almost a week and he made her stomach flip.

He seemed surprised that she came up to his office on her own, but smiled after a moment before going back to his call. "Yeah, John, I heard you," he insisted in an annoyed tone.

Skye took it upon herself to go around to the back of his desk and sit in his chair. It was best not to interrupt his call, right? And if she could look at the computer for a moment up close she could better help Fitz with whatever device he could create that would plant the virus or whatever.

It looked like something Stark would have in his own personal office, only less flashy and it probably didn't talk back when spoken to. It was made by CyberTek, of course, which only made her a little miffed. Stupid Ian Quinn, he was so annoying and pretentious and ew.

Anyways, it would be easy enough to get whatever device Fitz created near the computer; it was how she would get the computer's secrets seeded to her set-up at HQ that would be the tricky part. If she could just get twenty minutes alone with it somehow it would be so much easier to figure out how to do it. Hell, she didn't even need twenty minutes, less than ten would do.

"Enjoying yourself?" Grant cut into her thoughts, leaning over the desk from the other side, his cell phone nowhere to be seen. Should she have been listening to his call? Probably.

Skye smiled up at him from the black chair. "I can see why you sit here all the time, it's very _Scarface_," she teased.

He chuckled. "Do you have a reference to a movie I've never seen for everything?"

"You've never seen _Scarface_ and you're like... all bad boy and mob-y and stuff?" she questioned. That just wasn't okay. That was like loving magic and not even attempting to watch _Harry Potter_! Blasphemous! He simply shook his head as he made his way around to her. "One day me and you are going to watch a bunch of movies and you up to speed on society. Sure you can probably tell me the newest gun released by..." she feigned being clueless, "whatever company makes guns, but if you can't tell me why the _Devil Wears Prada_ I just don't know what to do with you," she sighed exasperated.

"Or you could spend more time outside rather than in the movie theater," he replied and sat on the desk much like she did before.

"Hey, I have guns of my own," she joked and held her arm up and flexed lightly. She did have _those_ guns (among others), but she couldn't show him that. A bartender being able to go a few rounds with him would probably come off as suspicious. A few rounds... hm, that sounded like a good time. She shook her head at the thought.

He grinned and shook his own head at her antics.

"Now for the important stuff," she started and stood so she could wrap her arms around his neck. "Did you miss me?" she asked before she thought it through while bumping their noses together. She just asked the most robotic man in the world if he missed her after a few flirtations and one (great) make out session. Was that stupid? Incredibly.

"Hm," he breathed while winding his arms low around her waist and was silent for a few moments afterwards. "Do you know how long it's been since I ever actually fucking _missed_ somebody?" he questioned. She sucked in a shaky breath. "But for some reason yeah, I missed you," he admitted just as quietly as she had asked.

A smile from erupted on her face. "Good, 'cause I missed you too," she whispered and kissed him on the lips quickly.

Well, she meant for it to be quick but he grabbed her by the back of the neck and kept her close to keep the kiss going, not that she minded.

Oh, God, her dream was as realistic as she actually remembered their first kisses. He was so consuming, like a drug and it was just not fair. Why did the best kisser and hottest guy ever have to be Hydra? Why?

After a minute he lifted her up and wrapped her legs around his waist and she squeaked in surprise. He made his way to the pear-chair and sat down in it with her more so on her back like he was last time. "I'm beginning to see why you bought this chair," she teased, her legs staying open so he could fit inside and keep close.

"It's never really been used before though," he replied and his hands felt up and down her bare sides. It almost made her shiver. Almost.

"How was your trip?" she asked before he could distract her. "I don't see any visible broken bones or anything."

Grant grabbed her hand and began kissing her open palm. It was so cute it made her smile. No. Not cute. Hydra killer. Keep focus.

"Wasn't that kind of trip, more of a meeting, but I think I have better ideas of what to do with our free time right now," he murmured before leaning in and kissing her neck.

"You don't like talking about what you do, huh?" she breathed as he continued to kiss and locked her fingers through his.

"No," he answered easily enough without stopping.

Skye leaned her head back and fought to keep her eyes open as he thoroughly kissed every inch of skin he could. "Oh God, are you sure you don't do this a lot because you're really freakin' good at it," she just about moaned.

He grinned against her collarbone. "Never said I didn't do it, just that I didn't pay for it," he corrected.

"Yeah, is that why I got 'promoted' to bartender?" she wondered, lifting his face with her hands so she could look at him.

"Among other reasons," he said with a nod. "Can I kiss you now?"

Skye smiled and leaned forward to bite at his lip. "You need permission to do that now?"

"I like to know its welcome, yes," Ward stated seriously.

"So if I hadn't kissed you first..." she trailed off and looked up at him. "You wouldn't have kissed me at all?" she asked.

"Mm, kissed maybe," he answered and played with the hem of her crop-top. "Anything else, no. I don't want you to feel like you're being forced because I'm your boss. You don't have to be up here if you don't want to be," he finished. "And only the strippers get physical with the guys and you're not a stripper anymore so you have no preconceived notion that you have to do anything like that at all."

She couldn't help but swoon just a little bit. He was so respectable in some ways. It was so old-fashioned how he went about it. "Well it's a good thing that I came up here on my own volition, huh?" she whispered.

He didn't answer, just leaned forward and kissed her.

It dawned on her that she should be asking more questions, making small talk about his trip, anything to get to know him better so she could begin to get actual intel, but she didn't.

She just let him kiss her and deep down never wanted him to stop.

* * *

**Okay, had trouble ending this, did it work well?  
****I hope you liked Papa Coulson! I felt like the mission side of things needed a boost (it can't be all play!)  
****But never fear, the next chapter is going to get pretty physical. I just didn't want it to happen very fast.  
Ever hear the saying that taking off your clothes is the easy part? That is definitely true for these two for now!**

**Tell me what you think! It's kind of more of a filler chapter. The next one is going to be juicy (and will have disclaimers!)  
So review even though it was boring please.**

**\- Kay**


	5. Can't Compare to Nothing

**Alright guys, you need to stop being so good to me! I have another AoS story to pay attention to but every time I go to work on it I get a notification about this story and my mind starts going and I can't stop!  
****(In other words, thank you for being so wonderful all the time)**

**As always my answering questions section:  
Mia: Writing is hard and anyone who tells you differently is lying so updating once a day is not gonna happen. I don't even know about 3 times a week, my final semester of college begins Jan 20 so my life is going to get cray. I can promise you'll get (mostly) regular updates though!  
Sabrina: Don't just skip to the SkyeWard parts! Read the whole thing! And I didn't like where I ended it either, I struggled :(  
TotalGeek17: Sorry, working my way up to the present as per the 'votes' or whatever from the first chapter. Also the powers are going to come later, trust me.  
BellaPaige88: Yes, that 'dream' was how their real first kiss went. It was a realistic dream.**

**Now on with Chapter 5, I hope you like!  
(WARNING: SEXUAL NATURE TAKES PLACE IN CHAPTER - SKIP IF YOU DON'T WANT TO READ)**

* * *

Sex was good.

Skye knew it was supposed to be some astronomical thing that happened and changed life forever, but for her was just alright.

If she had to choose between sex and stubbing a toe she'd choose sex without a second thought. But between sex and a favorite TV show finally being added to Netflix all while having just bought your favorite ice cream to enjoy both at the same time she'd probably choose Netflix.

It was a weird thing. After the first boyfriend (if he could even be called that—he was the bad boy in the orphanage, bad boy being a loose term since the worst he did was steal a nun's habit or so he said) was a letdown she just assumed it was because it was both of their first times and didn't know what they were doing. But after the second and third boyfriend both sucking (no pun intended) she just figured she was one of those people who liked sex, but didn't love it (unfortunately).

Sure, she'd heard all the stories of how wonderful and mind-blowing it could be, mostly from Bobbi, and it was a huge let down to know it wasn't going to be that way for her, but she'd learned to accept it. Every woman was built a different way and she wasn't built to enjoy sex, and after learning of her lineage it only meant it could be a contribution to why she was the way she was. She wasn't exactly normal so _that_ not being normal either wasn't surprising.

Then she kissed Grant and just their first kiss together was better than her first time having sex ever. And she kept just kissing Grant and 'just kissing' was becoming excruciating. She wanted_more_ from a Hydra agent, from a decorated and trained killer, from the man she was ordered to spy on, not sleep with. Wanting more just wasn't okay.

Bobbi had said so herself just kissing and stuff was allowed, and Skye was sure the 'and stuff' should not lead to the mind-blowing orgasm she'd heard so much about.

So in her true fashion she was avoiding him. Was it smart to avoid the person you're supposed to being spying on and earning the trust of? No. But she couldn't help it. One more trip up into that office and more than 'just kissing' was going to happen. The last time they were up there (yesterday) led to her breaking a lamp because she all but refused to go to the pear-chair since it was just the perfect place to have sex and she didn't trust herself. So they stayed at his desk and in her desperate attempt to get away from him and his wonderful lips and hands and _damn_ she broke his lamp and wrecked half of the desk. Of course he'd laughed at the ordeal which only made him more adorable.

"What are you doing?" Bobbi demanded as they tried to fill the need of every man sitting at the bar.

It was a busy night and since she was the new HBIC(OTB) it was kind of her job to make sure the bar was running smoothly. Apparently becoming Grant Ward's girl meant she got the title of HBIC, Bobbi added OTB (of the bar) to make it nicer since she did get a promotion of sorts.

"Um, eating a nice steak dinner and enjoying myself, what the hell do you think I'm doing? I'm working," Skye snipped in return before handing off a round of beers to one of the stripper/waitresses. Every stripper technically was a waitress as well.

"Ward has been sitting in his chair for over half an hour, had two drinks, none of them given to him by you, and you're at the bar?" Bobbi questioned in the midst of the craziness.

"Yeah, if you haven't noticed we're busy," Skye replied while making a mixed drink.

"I told you, Bakshi is out of town, I can handle the bar so you can go entertain Ward or whatever," she insisted, keeping their conversation light since they were surrounded by people. Saying to build the trust and let him feel you up while so you can learn intel wasn't exactly preferred.

"I'm making him wait," Skye lied with a shrug. "I mean, it's kinda fun seeing him look all pissed off," she added on, but that part was the truth. He looked sexy as hell shaking his drink and looking over at her every two minutes with that nasty look in his eyes. She was beginning to think she did have a type. Damn Bobbi.

Bobbi laughed. "Only you would think he looks fun when he really looks scary as hell," she insisted. "But if you make Gina bring him one more drink I think she is going to have a heart attack," she told her. "He looks scary to the girls on a regular night."

Skye peered over to see that he was in the need of a new drink. He liked a lot of ice so he needed a new drink quicker than most guys, but more drinks didn't technically make him drunk since there was so much ice. She sighed to herself. It was time to face the music, but if something mind-blowing happened it was all Bobbi's fault.

With his drink in hand she made her way to him, her stomach bubbling in anticipation. When she reached his chair he just looked up with glaring eyes.

"Aw, you're not gonna be mad at a girl for having a good work ethic, are you?" she teased. "After all, I do work for you," she reminded him. In one quick movement his arm wound around her waist and pulled her down to straddle him. She shrieked in surprise and spilled a little of his drink. "Grant!" she laughed while putting the drink down on the table.

"I don't like being kept waiting," he told her, his eyes never leaving hers.

Skye just smiled in return. "Then be ready for a life time of disappointment Grant Ward, men will always being waiting on women one way or another," she stated.

"Not me, I take what I want," he replied, his arms settled around her waist.

Her eyebrows rose. "Really? You with your moral code?"

"Alright, I take what I want within reason," he corrected himself.

"You're definitely one of a kind, Grant Ward," she sighed, her own arms snaking around his neck while leaning in to him. He was so damn comfortable and warm too. His own hands wrapped more tightly around her bare back, practically covering her up.

She dressed in another cut off top that showed much of her stomach but was long sleeved, matched with a faux-leather skirt that was folded in waves so she actually had room to move along with her black biker boots to finish it off. How Bobbi and those other girls wore everything tight all the time was beyond her. Now that Ward chose her dressing for the night was turning into a fight between her and Bobbi since she didn't feel the need to absolutely impress anymore.

After a moment he kissed her neck tenderly and she pulled away. "Why are you like that?" she asked with a hand cupping his face. "You'd think a Hydra agent with your reputation would-"

"Don't listen to everything you hear, Skye," Ward cut her off.

"You're called the lethal weapon, Grant," she reminded him with a pointed look. "Plus I've seen you break a guy's fingers for touching me."

"I broke his fingers for touching you without permission," he corrected her.

"You broke his wrist too," she countered with a small smile.

"That was because he's a dick," he stated, grinning as he did, like he was proud of it.

"Whatever you say," Skye sighed. "I just... I don't know, I'd like to know more about you. You know a lot about me, mainly because you're kind of a weirdo, but still."

Ward pulled her closer. "My name is Grant Douglas Ward, I'm thirty, I own a strip club and work for Hydra, I'm fucking crazy about you, what more is there to know?" he questioned.

"'Fucking crazy,' huh?" she questioned and he nodded. A warm feeling infiltrated her stomach, but she ignored it. Her whole body was beginning to betray her. "That's sweet, but I'm serious."

"So am I, who cares about what came before, its shit I don't like to talk about anyways," he told her honestly.

She definitely understood that. "I grew up in an orphanage and I don't like talking about it much either, but it helped shape who I am, someone you're apparently fucking crazy about," she replied. "Plus, it's interesting to me, you're this Hydra big shot and own this place, yet you are all gung-ho for girls having their rights when you could just... just," she stopped. He could ignore things like what almost happened to her with Anderson in that alley. "And you're all morally correct about making sure I want you to... I don't know."

"I grew up in Massachusetts with a privileged family who thought that they were better than everyone else when they weren't, they just had the money to act like it," he began after a long, silent moment. "They took what they wanted and didn't care about the consequences or who they effected. I wasn't like them and swore I would never turn into them so I try to stick with that. My brother..." he cleared his throat. "My brother was an exceptional jackass and because our parents would cover up everything he did he thought he had free reign to do whatever he wanted—it's almost like my parents were scared of him when he got older. And I saw what he did to girls..." Ward trailed off, looking over her shoulder to avoid eye contact. "A lot of guys around where I grew up were like that with the girls they thought were below them, but not me. No matter what I am now I still know that is wrong."

"So you have a brother?" she questioned to which he nodded. "I always wanted a sibling, but that's hard to do when you don't even know who your parents are," she mumbled.

"Did you ever find them?" he asked.

"Eventually. My mother's dead and my father... he's not really _right_, you know?" she told him.

Grant nodded in understanding. "You were probably better off, there were many times where I would have rather had no parents than shitty parents," he admitted. "Having brothers wasn't great either," he added on as an afterthought. Brothers? Plural?

"I probably was better off, but a kid growing up like that is hard," she breathed. "You had two brothers? You only mentioned an older one," she continued on. Hey, even if she was fucking up the mission by liking her target, she could still get intel out of him. And figuring out how Ward was wired was high up on her to-do list.

"One older, one younger, but I really don't want to talk about this anymore," he said in a gruff voice. "I didn't like my home life and eventually, even if it was the wrong way, I got out and I'm here. That is what matters."

"Yeah," she mumbled. There was only so much she could get out of him on the strip club floor anyway. "I was bounced from foster home to foster home, never really feeling like I had a home until now," she mentioned and his eyebrows rose.

Oops. She didn't want him to think that he was all of a sudden her home, he wasn't, they weren't even in a relationship where something like that should happen. SHIELD was her home.

"I like living with Bobbi, she's like my sister, we look out for each other. She kicks my ass when she has to and I tell her when she's being a bossy bitch," she explained quickly.

"Sounds nice," Ward said with a slight smile. "I live alone; I'm usually doing business here or elsewhere, doesn't leave much time for anything."

Skye bit her lip. 'Doing business here' had to mean more than owning the club. She needed to rush Fitz on that device to get to whatever was on that computer. "You have time for me," she murmured, leaning in closer.

His forehead met hers and he cupped her face. "I make time for you," he admitted with this eyes closed or focused on her lips, she couldn't tell.

"Aw, you know how to make a girl feel special, Grant Ward," she cooed and pinched his cheeks.

He just rubbed his thumbs over her own cheeks. It turned her stomach to goo, but would never admit it out loud. "Wanna go upstairs?" he wondered in a soft voice.

He actually asked her questions now. Sure there were times it was a command masquerading as a question, but it was only when he already knew the answer. He was very take charge and she definitely liked that.

She licked her lips. "I don't know, do you really trust me up there? I mean, I broke your lamp, I ruined your desk, what next? The computer?" she teased to which he laughed, well it was more of a deep chuckle that made her heart pound faster.

Did he do one thing that didn't turn her on one way or another? Oh yeah, he killed people for a living, good people. She had to remember that because she certainly was taking a liking to everything else about him. The fact that he was Hydra had to overshadow the fact that he was sweet, thoughtful, adorable, funny, sexy as hell, grew an amazing beard, had amazing hands... she let out a breath. Focus.

"I think I'll risk it," he answered a moment later.

It was a not a good idea, it was a horrible idea, probably the worst idea she'd ever had and it wasn't even her idea. It was his idea to go upstairs, but she'd agreed with it all too easily. She could have said no, asked more about his childhood, got more out of him, but she agreed and that was stupid.

It was stupid for three very big reasons, the number being the amount of clothes that were taken off upon entering the office because they spent at least five minutes trying to get in, but he was having trouble getting the key in the lock (for obvious reasons).

They'd taken off clothes before, sure, but they were usually his (it wasn't like she wore normal clothes in her line of work) and it was usually only his shirt. This time it was his shirt, her shirt, and the skirt. It just... happened. And the same mysterious force was going to take her bra off, she knew it, but she didn't know how to stop it. Or maybe she didn't want to stop it. Either excuse would work really.

Grant's lips moved over her shoulder and pushed the strap of her bra down to give proper attention to the area. Her head fell back in pleasure. How did him just kissing her feel so wonderful? It wasn't fair.

When his lips began to move further south she grabbed his head and brought their lips together. If he kept going south she'd probably push him further down and somehow she knew he'd have no qualms about that. Neither would she really, but she should. This wasn't about having the amazing sex she'd heard so much about, they were supposed to get close, but not that close. Right? Shit.

As his tongue massaged her's gently his hand slid up underneath the clasp of her bra, but did nothing more. He had a way of asking for what he wanted without using words that she loved.

Skye pulled away to breathe and maybe cool off when her body took over and rather than calm down she began to kiss down his neck. He was firm and defined and lean and perfect.

After a few moments he pulled her back up to kiss and without thinking her hands went around to unclasp her bra. Like the old saying goes, ask and you shall receive, right? Once there was nothing in between their top halves she wound her arms around his neck and deepened their kisses.

They never had so many clothes off before, no barriers, and it made her feel funny, like she was dizzy in a good way. Everything was beginning to feel funny.

The throb that settled between her legs began to become unbearable to the point where she couldn't ignore it anymore (and she had been doing a damn good job of ignoring it so far). She needed something, well she knew exactly what was needed, but going about getting it was the gray part. And he was beginning to need something too, it was easily felt underneath her.

"Grant," she pulled away in a moan. She meant it as a groan, the beginning of her stopping whatever the hell was happening, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. "I- we-"

She'd never had a real orgasm, she'd had the moments where it felt pretty great, but her first kiss with him was better than her first time having sex. What would it feel like with him? Not sex, but something else?

His hand cradled her chin and kissed her softly. "I'll do whatever you want, Skye," he mumbled and she knew if she stopped it right then he'd oblige.

He was so freaking _ugh_ it was killing her slowly. "Okay," she replied and took the hand that was resting on her bare side and slid it down into her underwear. "Make me orgasm." If you're gonna fuck something up, really fuck it up, right? She was good at that part.

Grant instantly reacted as his fingers went straight to work. Her entire body shuddered at the touch and she let out a light gasp at the feeling. It definitely never felt as good before, not even close.

Her head fell forward and she was surprised to feel that Ward's lips caught her by the forehead. She bit her lip to hold in a moan as his fingers massaged her clit and held on tight to his shoulders, her nails digging in just a little bit.

Thoughts were running through her mind—why didn't she ever feel like this before, was it him, why did it have to be him, why did he have to be Hydra? She knew there was good in him; he'd showed it in so many subtle ways. But most of all she tried to shut her mind down to enjoy the moment.

He found a fast-paced rhythm that practically had her holding onto him for dear life, not that he seemed to mind. Her own body tried to match him, trying to create more friction and feeling.

Her head was now buried in his shoulder and his was nuzzled in her neck, kissing it randomly. "Is this all you want?" he questioned, his movements slowing, but staying long and languid, his thumb and pointer finger pinching a bit as they went.

Skye lifted her head and rested it on his. "What do you want?" she countered in a shaky voice. He could give her the orgasm she'd been wanting, the kind she'd heard about, and dammit she just wanted it already. She needed it.

He responded by kissing her mouth and she understood, but she'd never let a guy do that to her before. It always seemed wet and weird and like it would feel like worms or something of the sort.

But she surprised herself by nodding in return. In an instant Grant's fingers left her and he stood with her in his arms before setting her back down on the chair to lie on her back. His eyes looked over her almost-naked body and she realized it was the first time he'd really seen her in practically nothing. After all his clothes were the ones to usually come off first.

After a few moments she began to feel nervous. Her body was never something she usually felt self-conscious about, it was everything else, but when over a minute went by with no words worry filled her. Then his fingers linked through the sides of her black lacy underwear and began to pull it off.

"You gonna make fun of me if I say something unlike me?" he questioned a moment later once the underwear was discarded.

"Um, I'm sitting in front of you naked, where do I have the room to laugh?" she responded and went to fold her arms, but he stopped her.

His hands caught hers and linked them together. "You're beautiful," he murmured, his eyes focused on her figure.

Warmth filled her stomach. Was this real life? "Well, I eat an apple a day," she joked and he grinned before kissing her firmly on the lips.

They only kissed for a moment and then he began to slide off the end of the chair onto his knees and now the warmth in her stomach turned into an intense heat that could begin to boil at any minute. What if she was right and she hated the feeling? Did she kick him off and grab his fingers again? That seemed insulting.

Then without warning his mouth was attached to her opening and she let out a deep moan. It did _not_ feel like worms or gross, but it was wet in a good way.

"Holy sh-" she broke off as his mouth sucked and licked. Her hands scratched at his head like he was getting a scalp massage. Her body reacted without consent, arching her back, widening her legs, pulling on his head. And he seemed to like it since he was pulling her closer and well, going to town down there.

She felt herself coming undone and knew it was coming—the orgasm, the one she'd been waiting for. How did he do it so well, so quick?

"Fu-" she stopped again when she finally came in a silent scream, but he didn't stop. He continued to suck and lick and _damn_ making her come again and again almost simultaneously.

He didn't stop until there was a loud knock on the door. "Sir? We have a situation," was heard through the wood.

Grant swore under his breath. "Wait a few minutes," he hollered back. "I'm sorry," he apologized and buried his head in her chest.

Skye responded by wrapping her arms around his neck and sighing. "What do they want?" she muttered more to herself than him. She wasn't done, she wanted more, she wanted everything.

"Orders of some kind, probably," he said and pulled away. "Hydra's way of running things is creating mindless drones," he mumbled on while reaching down for her underwear and put it on.

"You're not a mindless drone," she countered, enjoying the fact that he was dressing her as her skirt slid up her legs as well.

"I have a high rank," he replied once it was zipped. "I don't do bras, taking them off is a lot easier than putting them on," he stated afterwards.

Skye chuckled. "Mind if I use your bathroom? You can let the cronies in since I'm sure they're pissing themselves without direction."

Grant stood and held a hand out for her. She followed suit, but once on her own two feet her knees gave out. He caught her easily. "You alright?" he questioned with a smirk.

"Shut up," she mumbled while taking her clothes from his hands and heading for the bathroom nestled in the corner of the room. Without thinking she quickly put the bra and shirt back on before using the toilet.

What the hell had just happened? She let Grant Ward finger her and eat her out and give her multiple orgasms that left her legs weak. He was cute and sweet and dressed her. She looked at herself in the mirror and sighed.

Everything about the mission was getting complicated except for the fact that she was beginning to like Grant Ward, really like him.

And she couldn't even tell Bobbi what happened to her because it was inappropriate. She was fucking everything up, only not in the way Coulson and everyone else thought she would. She wasn't creating earthquakes, but the ground was beginning to feel unstable beneath her metaphorically speaking.

Her eyes closed as she remembered what it felt like to have Grant's fingers playing with her, to have his tongue and teeth pressed against her. Warmth flooded her cheeks and she giggled. _Giggled._

"Skye," Grant called through the door.

She took in a deep breath. "Be right out," she replied loudly.

There had to be a way she could make up for how much she was screwing up. She exited the bathroom and found more than four men not including Ward had entered, all in suits and they were speaking to Grant about something in hushed voices.

"Um, hi," she greeted awkwardly while leaning on Grant's desk to put her boots.

Ward walked over. "There is something I have to deal with for a bit," he informed her in a serious tone.

"Everything okay?" she wondered knowing he wouldn't tell her, but it was polite to ask.

He nodded. "Just something I have to deal with. Go back down to the bar and I'll find you when I'm done," he insisted. It was an order, but he didn't make it sound like one as if she was one of the 'mindless drones.'

"Alright," she agreed and went to walk away like a good girl when he pulled her back and kissed her. She was surprised. They'd yet to actually kiss in public, touch and stuff ya, but not kiss.

He let her go and she stumbled away without a word.

"Something happened," Skye told Bobbi once she reached the bar.

Bobbi looked up questioningly. "Did he do something to you?" she questioned and Skye almost laughed at the irony.

Yes. "No, I was getting somewhere when some agents came in," Skye replied since the bar's craziness had died down. "They need him for a 'situation' he said he'd come find me when it was resolved," she explained.

"Well, I mean, we already have ears in place," Bobbi reminded her. They did, the earring was behind the pear-chair, hidden in the cushy carpet, but that wasn't something she planned on removing any time soon. That was more of a get at the end of the mission type plan. Plus there were some private moments she wanted to get off of it before showing anyone.

Skye held up her empty hand. Usually her listening-device of a ring was on, but it was missing. Well, not missing, sitting on Ward's desk, exactly where she put it when she went to put her boots back on. It had been turned off during their alone time, but it was on now. "Actually, we have two sets. I'm going to go 'find it' when he is done handling whatever happened," she stated with a grin.

Bobbi shook her head with a smile. "Man, you are good."

"I learned from the best," Skye replied with a wink.

Waiting for Fitz's device was taking too long for her liking. That plan was still going to happen for sure, but to get immediate intel from the horse's mouth would definitely go over well with the bosses. And she needed to please them since she was slowly messing everything up by liking the lethal weapon even if they didn't know it yet. She knew it and she had to try to do something to make up for it.

* * *

**Alright, not too happy with the sexual scene, but like everything else. Whew. That was what took this so long.  
****What happened that caused Skye and Grant to be interrupted? You will find out! And yes, I am changing Ward's background, but not that much, it's more of a tweak really.  
****Yes, the reason why Skye didn't love sex before is going to be a storyline bc obv she likes things with Grant. You'll find out about that too (only a bit later).**

**I had more to add at the end of this but thought it could do better in the next chapter.  
REVIEW PLEASE.  
Love you :)**

**\- Kay**


	6. I Can't Escape

**You guys are too good to me. All the positive feedback and such is the reason I keep pumping these out. Remember that!  
****Promise that if (when) I publish for real you'll all buy!  
****(It is the dream you know!)**

**Q&amp;A:  
****haleycaldwell56: Yes, eventually, much later. I think this is going to be one of my longer fics.  
****The small questions shall be answered within the chapter. Can't give everything away!**

**On to Chapter 6**

* * *

_"I'll be back in a few days," Grant said. "Nothing big, just something I have to handle."_

_"Anything I should worry about?" Skye wondered while batting eyelashes._

_He shook his head in return and since they were so close his nose brushed against hers. "No, just comes with the line of work and my skillset," he replied vaguely._

_Her eyebrows rose. "Alright, whatever," she said in a sigh. He chuckled at her. "How long until you have to leave or do we have time to..." she trailed off and pulled on his waistband. What? It was only polite to offer reciprocation. If it was the other way around she would not be a happy girl (especially now that she knew she liked it)._

_He removed her hands and linked them through his. "You don't have to do that, Skye," he insisted. "And I have to leave within the hour, there's a plane being readied for me as we speak," he added._

_And now she was a confused girl. He didn't want her to... was that normal? Because usually guys jumped at the chance. "Okay," she breathed and squeezed his hands. "But before you run off into the night can I get into your office? I left my ring in there, I took it off to wash my hands and it really matches everything so I wear it a lot and my hand feels kind of naked without-"_

_He cut her off in a kiss. "Yes. C'mon," he answered and led her down the hall and up the steps._

That was a week ago and the last she'd heard from him. Less than an hour in his stupid office with his stupid goons and he was all gung-ho to leave to do whatever. Well, she knew what he was going to do, she did retrieve the ring, but still. It would be nice to know an ETA (estimated time of arrival) for when she would be off bar duty and back on spy duty. Plus, she very much preferred spy duty, even if she was mucking it up big time. It was way more fun and easier on the feet.

She retrieved the ring and gave it a listen on the laptop she'd been provided with to go undercover. It wasn't the best setup, but it would do for the simple things. Of course she had to send everything covertly to HQ, but what was going on in the club was something her and Bobbi needed to know for their own survival.

What they learned was that Hydra wasn't stupid. They were using the club just like SHIELD was, only to test the loyalties of their agents and using Sienna to do it. It was why she had so many clients and fantastic car—they paid her damn well for what she did. She was kind of a low-level agent, but only trained in what she was needed for, getting what was needed out of the weaker men.

Hydra was a scary organization and sometimes their agents wanted to get out, maybe even sell secrets to SHIELD or the US government. One didn't just 'get out' of Hydra, it was more a join or die group, so if you wanted out there was one way—death. However, if they could seek refuge in SHIELD or the US government they didn't have to die, just live under the radar with whichever group was protecting them.

One guy had a few too many drinks and got weepy over Sienna's lap. Wrong move on his part. So for the last week Ward was torturing him in Havana as far as she knew. Last she heard Coulson was looking into it and Eric still had his feet on the ground there. It was too risky for them to contact HQ too much, they were on need to know basis.

Of course as soon as Ward was gone for an extended amount of time Fitz finally got the device to her. Well, technically Hunter got it to her (while dressed as a Cowboy, accent and all, something she would _never_ let the Brit live down) and in turn she gave him a flashdrive with what was recorded on the ring so far. The device was a fake quarter that had planted on her person for the last few days in case he came back.

All she had to do was get it near the computer, turn it on, and leave it there for three minutes. Then she was free to take it back and destroy it. There was a catch though. She had to get it near the computer on a downtime when no one would be on it for a few hours, that way there was time for the information to seed and then the virus to spread and wipe out any evidence of what they did. As far as she knew the only one ever on it was Ward, but with him gone there was no way she was getting in that office.

And she had a plan for when he did come back, but not one Bobbi particularly liked. Bobbi still agreed that, while she didn't like it because it meant they were separated in case anything happened to one another, it was a good plan.

Waiting for Ward to come back was becoming excruciating because she wanted to get the plan in motion, but also because she _missed_ him. Sure, she had missed him before when he went off to Havana, but it was just a simple feeling then. Now it was different, an ache had taken up residence in her chest wanting him to come back. It was more of a longing feeling that was beginning to spread to the pit of her stomach.

It had her on edge and even Bobbi had noticed. It was annoying. Ward was probably torturing a man right now for wanting to leave Hydra and she missed him? Why, because he was agent of the year who did everything he was told like a good little soldier? Sure, he did have a mind of his own, but when given an order he'd follow it to his last breath and she knew it.

How could she be falling for a guy like that? Yeah, she was given orders too, but if she didn't follow it wouldn't mean her death or anything drastic. SHIELD trained agents to use their own minds, not just follow orders all the time. One man felt the weight of Hydra and wanted out and now he was likely to die for it. And the man that would probably kill him for it was someone she was missing? Everything was just so fucked up.

"Watch out," Skye mumbled as she passed behind one of the waitresses at the bar. "What is she even doing back here?" she said to herself.

"Easy there, girl," Bobbi teased from next to her. "I'm beginning to think Ward is rubbing off on you."

She wished Ward was rubbing something on her. Skye shook her head, what was going on with her? It was like now that she'd had the oh-so-wonderful orgasm she'd become a thirteen year old boy and that was all she could think about. "Well, she doesn't even know how to work the hose, she shouldn't be back here, she's in the way," she insisted.

"Did someone not take their happy pill this morning?" Bobbi questioned in a laugh.

Skye pushed a beer across the bar to its new owner. "If there was a pill to make me happy I would have started taking it years ago," she muttered with a forced smile as a customer gave her a tip.

"Seriously, what's wrong with you?" Bobbi asked while grabbing the younger girl's arm. "Is it the... situation, because if so-"

"Bobbi, I'm fine," Skye assured her and ripped her arm away. "I can't just have a bad day? I'm tired, my feet hurt, I have a migraine, these pants are too tight," she listed off and it was mostly true. "It's not the situation; the situation is fine, alright? I'm actually pretty bored with the situation because nothing is happening."

"If you say so," Bobbi sighed. "Anyways, I-"

"Skye," they were interrupted by Brick, the bar manager. "You're wanted upstairs," he stated.

"By who?" she asked while stepping closer to him, hope rising in her stomach.

"Who do you think?" he replied before walking away.

She turned back to Bobbi with a big smile. "Now you're happy. Pants aren't too tight anymore, huh?" her friend questioned.

"Well something is actually going on now, I can ignore the pants," Skye responded. "We a go? You can handle the bar?" she asked softly.

Bobbi nodded. "Don't you worry about me, remember what to do if it goes south-"

She wanted it to go south, but not the south Bobbi was talking about. "I know, I know," she cut her off. "I've got to go, I'm wanted upstairs," she sing-songed before practically skipping away from the bar.

The ache in her chest, the pain in her stomach, and everything else that went with generally just missing Ward climbed to the throat, waiting for her to lay eyes on him. She just about burst through the door when she hit someone coming out.

"Er, sorry," she apologized while brushing passed them into the office.

Grant was leaning back on his desk grinning at her eagerness with a head shake. Of course he saw her run into the men leaving.

"Hi," she greeted breathlessly.

"That's the hello I get after a week? I thought after how we left things you'd be more... excited," he commented in a casual tone.

Skye got a hold of her bearings. "Oh, I'm sorry, not dramatic enough for you? How about we meet in a poppy field tomorrow and we'll do the whole slow run at each other while some cheesy song plays in the background?" she suggested with arms crossed. Why had she been so excited to see him again? He was a jerk!

He laughed. "That's more like my girl." But he was her jerk. "Now are you going to give me a proper hello or do I have to come over there and force it out of you?" he asked playfully.

She stayed rooted in her spot. "I give proper hellos to people who call," she countered, a small smile playing on her lips. His eyebrows rose. The boy had a strong eyebrow game. "You're Hydra, Grant, and I don't know all what that entails, but I do know it's dangerous and I don't know where you went or what you did or-" she was cut off when he finished the distance between them and pressed his lips against hers.

It was quick, too quick for her liking. "You worrying about me?" he demanded to know, his eyes scanning hers.

She bit her lip. "Maybe a little bit," she answered and it was a little bit true too. Yeah, he was probably torturing someone, but... her priorities were all out of whack, she was learning to accept it.

He smiled and kissed her chaste on the lips. "I'm fine, you can do a fully body inspection if you want," he offered with a wicked grin.

"If you're good I just might," she teased and pushed him away playfully. She walked around his desk and sat down in the desk chair and crossed her legs. "So, Agent Ward, you Hydra people just love orders, right?" she questioned.

He stood on the other side, arms crossed, staring at her. "Love no, follow yes," he answered stiffly.

"Mmhm, I see," she sighed and pressed hard on the pocket of her black 'liquid legging' pants that hugged every crevice of her lower half almost too much to feel the 'quarter' nestled in there. "And if I was to order you to do something would you do it?"

Ward stood silent for a moment. "Depends what it is," he finally said.

"So if I ordered you to take me away from the club so we could celebrate your homecoming more privately, what would you do?" she wondered making sure to keep eye contact.

Now he came around the back of the desk and leaned against it. "What do you have in mind?"

She smiled. He was going to do it. "I was thinking... some alone time at your place." She stood and settled herself between his legs. "That is, if you're willing to take orders from a girl."

His arms wound around her waist. "Gender doesn't matter with orders, rank does," he corrected.

"You're avoiding answering just to torture me, I know it," Skye mumbled as her head dropped to rest on his chest.

Grant chuckled and his chest vibrated. It felt nice. "I'd love to spend time along with you... celebrating," he murmured in her ear. She shivered at the feeling. "Just let me deal with something first," he added on.

She pulled away with a big smile. "Deal."

A moment later Grant was out the door to handle whatever he had to handle and left Skye all alone in the office just like she wanted. The quarter had been turned on in her pocket ever since she came up the steps ready for when she was able to get close enough to the computer.

It was programmed to let her in after the necessary three minutes, overriding all password protection or anything else that might delay her. All it took was a few simple keystrokes of the IP address of her super computer before it began to see seed the data to it.

Ward was only gone about four minutes and that was more than enough time for her to make it to their pear-chair, break the 'quarter' in her hands (Fitz told her just enough pressure would cause it to shatter and become useless, yet still hold its shape so it wouldn't fall to pieces), and look innocent.

"Ready?"

Yes, she was ready to get him away from the computer all night by suggesting to go to his place to the virus could do its work. Yes, she was ready to be alone with him away from the club, away from Bobbi, away from outside distractions. She was so ready.

It took five minutes for her to change into the low-rising skinny jeans she'd worn to work, along with the over-sized white t-shirt that hung off her shoulder to show her black bra strap. She couldn't very well go out into the regular world dressed as a stripper, plus she was sure Ward wouldn't be too happy with the stares either.

"Skye, you said-" Grant stopped as she grabbed onto his hand and led him through the mass of people more than twenty minutes later. "You said we were going to my place to celebrate," he said in an extremely annoyed tone.

Grant Ward and Wal-Mart definitely did not mix. The vision of him standing in the middle of the entertainment section with a brooding face made her giggle. People were avoiding him like the plague, like they knew he was dangerous. It was kind of a turn on.

"We are! I just want to pick up a few things first," she insisted innocently. She knew full well how miffed he'd get at her plan to stop, but didn't tell him until they were already zooming away on his motorcycle. He drove a motorcycle, how sexy was that?

"Like what?" he demanded, trying to sound harsh but didn't quite pull it off. It was like when Coulson tried to scold her in an apron—it just wasn't going to have its full effect.

"One sec- aha!" she exclaimed, spotting what she'd dragged him in for and picked it up for him to see.

He barely looked at it before having a negative reaction. "You're not serious."

"Oh, as a heart attack, baby. Now c'mon, the sooner we grab everything else I want the sooner we get out of here," she reminded him, grabbing him by the leather jacket and pulled him towards the food.

They were having a movie night whether he liked it or not. She told him she would force him to watch some movies to catch up on society and tonight she was making good on that statement.

Yes, she was making the lethal weapon watch _Lethal Weapon_ and if he didn't like it there wasn't much to worry about, _Die Hard_ was tucked into her purse for afterwards (because that series really was much better).

It surprised her that he didn't object to her mini movie marathon, especially after he was so grumpy in Wal-Mart. He also saw it coming when she showed him the movie so he had time to get over himself—there was no use fighting it, she would force him to watch it either way.

It was nice though, how when they got to his apartment he offered drinks and helped make popcorn just the way she liked it, then brought out a blanket for them to cuddle under on the couch. She expected him to be stiff and annoyed, but eventually win him over with her lovely, yet a tad annoying, disposition. Still, she didn't question it because as the old saying goes if it's not broken don't fix it.

"No!" Skye exclaimed hours later. "Not until you say it!"

Grant ignored her and continued his mission of trying to kiss down her neck.

"Say it Grant Ward!" Skye laughed while pushing his face away. "Say it and I'll give you what you want."

He huffed before sitting up. "_Die Hard _makes _Lethal Weapon _look like a little bitch," he mumbled.

"Aaaaand," she drawled out expectantly.

He pursed his lips and looked like he would have kicked anyone else out of the apartment for making him do it. "And yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker," he sighed.

Skye broke out into a fit of giggle. "Say it, say it again!"

"That was not the deal!" Grant replied with a head shake.

"Grant, pleaaseee," she pleaded with a frown.

He was about to say no before just shaking his head and smiling down at her. "How do you..." he stopped. "I don't know."

"Hey," she whispered and hooked her finger under his chin to make him look at her. "How do I what?" She looked into his eyes and saw him trying to pull back emotionally, or rather felt it really, somehow. "You know you can talk to me, Grant, I'm not just some girl that works for you. If I was I wouldn't be here watching movies in your apartment."

He nodded. "I don't think I've watched a movie with a girl since I was fifteen," he said more to himself than her.

"Exactly. Now what do I do for you?" she wondered, tugging on his shirt to keep his focus on her. During the movie an intense cuddle session had taken place that ended with them both lying on the couch together. Once it was over the night turned more, ahem, adult and so she was lying on her back with Grant settled above her, but he sat up a bit when they began talking.

He linked his hand through hers but looked off into the distance rather than in the eye. "Make me feel normal," he admitted. "Like I'm not someone who's..." he trailed off and then focused on their intertwined hands. "Someone to be feared and done things that," he stopped again.

"Do you remember when you told me that something high up on your priority list was surviving?" Skye asked after a moment of silence. He just nodded quietly. "Well I heard somewhere that who we are and what we have to do to survive are two very different things," she told him and he finally looked her in the eye again. "I know you've done things I don't even want to guess, but I don't believe that is who you are underneath it all." And gosh did she believe that. He wasn't evil, he wasn't like the normal Hydra agents so it confused her how he came to be one. He wasn't even in SHIELD before the split.

"I don't know what to say to that," he said honestly.

She nodded and sat up a little herself. "You _are_ different than the others. You saved me from someone who wanted to, God I don't even want to think about what he wanted to do," she insisted and cupped his cheek. "You make sure all the girls are treated fairly and don't have to do anything they aren't comfortable with. You don't act like I'm beneath you because I'm a stripper, er, bartender that didn't even graduate high school. I had to make the first move for anything to happen between us." He just blinked back at her. "You just watched movies with me and had a cuddle fight. Do you think most the guys in the club would have done any of that?"

"Skye just because you see me differently doesn't mean everyone-"

"They see you the way you want them to see you, as someone they fear and avoid because you said it yourself, you hate people," she cut him off. "You let them feed off some reputation-"

"It's an earned reputation, Skye," he interrupted in a gruff voice. "People are smart to fear me. I've done things..." he searched her eyes as he looked for the words. It was like he was scared to tell her, afraid that once she knew the truth she take of running.

"I'm not going anywhere," she whispered while squeezing his arm.

"If you knew the things I'd done you wouldn't want to be anywhere near me," he murmured.

She ran her knuckles soothingly down his clean-shaven face. "Then let's start off easy and build from there," she suggested. "How did you become Hydra? What happened to cause all of this? It's not like they set up at a booth at career fairs," she joked.

Ward chuckled at that. "No, they don't, but they do seek out talent they value," he replied. "I- I already told you I'm not like my family," he began and relaxed back against the couch while keeping her feet in his lap and their hands together. "Everything my older brother Christian did was praised and if it was wrong it was simply covered up then never talked about. I wasn't like that; I was the problem child or the black sheep so to speak."

"What about your little brother?" she asked and he tensed. "I mean, you talk about your older brother, but not," she stopped as he became more and more stiff. "Grant?"

His eyes flicked to hers. "Tommy was an accident or a surprise, I guess," he said softly, gingerly, sounding more vulnerable than he'd intended. "Tommy was born when I was eight and Christian was thirteen," he went on. "Our parents, they weren't really parents. My father was in the public eye and always gone, either on business doing this or that, or attending functions and dinners to keep up with appearances. My mom would attend with him, always under the facade that the Wards were the picture of perfection. When Mom was home she was drinking..." he coughed. "Well, drinking and torturing us one way or another, but never Tommy."

Skye leaned forward and kissed the underside of his jaw for comfort. She felt his need to talk and planned on letting him get out whatever he needed.

"Tommy was her baby; she never laid a hand on him or raised her voice at him. He could do no wrong and since he saw what she did to us, he never did anything wrong," he continued. "But when Mom and Dad were away Christian would take his anger out on Tommy. He always did it in ways that our parents wouldn't figure out and Tommy was too scared to tell. Tommy was petrified of the dark so Christian would look him in closets. He would hit him with things that wouldn't leave marks, threaten him, whatever it took to make him miserable like we were."

"What a dick," Skye whispered while shaking her head. Who tortures a little boy, your own brother? Who hurts your own children for that matter? She grew up in the foster system, but was never in a place for too long so nothing bad had ever happened. Just another thing to thank SHIELD for.

"I was too scared to protect him, but I tried in covert ways," he insisted. "I would hide flashlights in all the closets or do something to break Christian's concentration when he was hurting Tommy. I would ring the doorbell or break something, you know?"

Skye nodded, her stomach feeling like it was being ripped open. She could feel his desperate need for her to understand that he tried to help his little brother even though he believed he should have done more. He was opening his own wound open raw and it was hard to watch.

"Christian was known to scare Tommy when our parents would be gone for the night and just let him cry. He was only a little boy, you know?" he asked rhetorically. "So I would bring him into my room to sleep. He knew even for how young he was that I was trying to help and would run for me when Christian would enter a room or cry for me." He stopped to control his breathing. "One weekend in the summer we were at our lake house and I was, um, twelve, Tommy was four, and Christian was like sixteen."

"What happened to Tommy?" Skye pushed, her gut knowing, but had to hear it anyways.

"I went outside to find him. I was beginning to fight back, I really was, I was bigger and-" he cleared his throat. He seemed so small to Skye, like he was reverting to the age he was when it all happened. "I heard Tommy screaming so I ran and- we had this well in the back of the woods and when I got there Christian was holding Tommy over it. He was crying and saw me and begged me to help him. I ran for him but-"

"Hey, hey," Skye wrapped her arms around his neck and let him burrow into her chest. Even though she knew very little about his family she did know that they probably never had him deal with whatever happened in a healthy way so he probably never talked about it. "It's okay, Grant," she whispered and kissed his head.

Grant held on tight. "Christian dropped him in and when I tried to pull him back up he threw me to the ground and I hit my head on the well. When I came to he was just staring and I looked inside and Tommy was- he was already-"

Skye blinked numerous times to stop herself from tearing up. She just held Grant while he got emotional, letting him take comfort in the fact that she was there for him and that he wasn't alone. It was hard to fathom seeing your older brother killing your little brother and not being able to stop it. The guilt must have been unbearable.

Minutes later he pulled away, his face blank, recovered from his emotions, like he just had a switch to turn it all off. "Christian said it was an accident, that Tommy crawled up and fell and we didn't know about it until he was already gone," he muttered. "But I think our parents knew that somewhere underneath it all Christian had something to do with it. One of their son's had already died, that was going to cause enough scandal, but to have the other accused of doing it would have just been too much, especially to have been left with just me."

"There is nothing wrong with you, Grant," Skye assured him quietly. He had to believe that under it all he wasn't bad, he was made to be something he wasn't to survive.

"That's why I think my parents were scared of him in a way. They'd already covered up one murder he'd committed, who knew what he'd do next if provoked? After the shock of Tommy's death wore off Christian was heading off to college and I was the only target left," he went on. "If I was going to get hit and degraded for things it was going to be for things that at least deserved it." He nodded slowly to himself.

"Even if you do bad things you didn't deserve to get hit, Grant," Skye broke in. How could he be just so accepting of abuse like that?

He ignored her. "I acted up in school, got into fights, I stole my parent's expensive shit and sold it, anything to cause a reaction. When I was fifteen I got sent to military school which wasn't the smartest move on my parent's part since they threw me into a place with guys that had done worse. Once you proved you could defend yourself the other guys respected you and would help you out, teach you things you didn't know. I bide my time, built up my strength and my nerve and broke out one night."

"What did you do?" she wondered.

"Stole a car and went to my house. I planned to confront my brother, get him to admit what he did out loud for once, but when I got there I saw my dad's grilling stuff out and I- well, I set the house on fire with my brother inside of it," he admitted. "And I can't say given the choice I would have not done that. I would change getting caught, but," he stopped with a shrug. "I got sent to juvenile hall, but since I was seventeen, almost eighteen, Christian, the asshole he is, tried to get me sentenced as an adult for arson, attempted murder, anything he could charge me with."

"Let me guess, that's when Hydra came?" Skye muttered. Hydra had a gift for finding broken people and building them up the wrong way. Why Grant was the way he was was all beginning to make sense in a twisted way and it was heartbreaking.

"I got a visitor who said he thought I had potential and asked if I wanted to learn how to become the type of man no one would ever mess with," Grant told her. "I was young, pissed off and in deep shit so I said yes."

"And they trained you to be the Lethal Weapon," she stated.

He nodded. "I was trained in secret to be exactly what Hydra needed me to be—a weapon to help take down the agency they were hiding in and to carry out the missions others were too sane to take," he said. "It's not like the movies, you know," he went on after a moment. "I don't have a partner to exchange witty one-liners with or just miss the bullet by an inch and make it home safe to a family that missed me and is thankful I'm fine. This is my home and I'm hardly here," he stated while gesturing around. The apartment was pretty bare except for the essentials. "I've been hit, I've been alone and bleeding out and thought I was going to die and that no would miss me. I've accepted that my life is going to be like that."

"Grant, that's... that's not right," Skye spoke up. "I- I understand having to become something hard to deal with everything you went through, I can," she told him. "But to only live half a life like that? That's not right, that's not okay."

"But I accepted it," Grant repeated. "I accepted every order and mission given to me without a second thought because that was who I'd become. I didn't care what happened to me, I'd already lost everything that mattered. My parent's never cared, Christian was a nightmare, Tommy was dead, and I only got my freedom back because I agreed to become a weapon that served others," he went on and stood, removing his body from hers. "I had a life, a life I was okay with living."

"Grant, you aren't living, you're just-"

"Wasn't," he cut her off as he paced. "I wasn't living, I didn't care about anything, I just did what I had to in order to survive, and then I met-" he stopped. "No one's ever said they'd missed me before." All of a sudden he stopped pacing and sat down in front of her on the coffee table. "No one's ever looked excited to see me or teased me or was happy I came home safe," he listed off. "Not since Tommy and not until you."

Skye just stared at him not knowing what to say. She had missed him, she was happy he came home safe, she wouldn't deny him that. She valued him even though he didn't value himself. How little he thought of himself was hard to take.

"And I just, I just spent the last five hours watching movies and eating popcorn with you when I haven't watched a movie since _Air Force One_ and it was because John made me," he began to rant. "Everything I do is because John wants it or suggests it or needs it and I haven't done anything for me since I broke Anderson's fingers and I really only broke them for touching you," he said more to himself than her.

"Grant, what are you trying to tell me?" she questioned with a hand on his knee.

"I don't know how to do this," he insisted. "I don't know how to be the Lethal Weapon around you because you make me feel like Grant and I haven't been Grant since I was seventeen."

"I like Grant," Skye whispered. "I like Grant a lot actually." She liked Grant too much.

"And I've never told anyone about Tommy or my parents or what Christian did and I told you everything," he added.

"You needed to open up eventually," she told him. Didn't he see that these things were normal? It was okay to break down, to feel pain, to need help?

"No, opening up is weak," Grant stated. "It's showing emotion, it's showing where you're soft so the enemy knows where to hit," he corrected. "I don't show emotion, I compartmentalize and learned to turn my feelings off. I can't be weak."

Skye buried the guilt because she was the enemy even if he didn't know it. "It's not weak, Grant. Showing emotion is being human and breaking down doesn't make you any less of a strong person. I think it means you were strong for too long. What your brother did was horrible and your parents were shit, you're allowed to be fucked up. I'm fucked up because I never had parents or a stable home."

"But you're fine. You're _good_," Grant assured her.

She nodded. "I try, but you're good too, you just bury it and let others keep it buried apparently."

"I don't know what to do," he whispered with his head hung low.

Skye stood up and held onto his hand. "We're going to just start and see where it goes," she said and tugged on his hand until he was standing with her. He needed to know he was good too, that feeling emotion wasn't a bad thing, and she knew just the way to do it.

He nodded, understanding, and followed as she led him down the hall and into his bedroom.

At that moment Skye assigned herself a mission, one to show Grant he was more than the weapon Hydra made him in to, to show him that he wasn't nothing special like his parents had him believe, one that would let him be who he really was underneath it all.

Skye promised herself when she returned to SHIELD that Grant would be coming with her because underneath it all Grant Ward was good, she knew it even if he didn't.

* * *

**Whew, this took a bit. I like this chapter too! Woo!  
**

**I didn't mean for Grant to get so emotional but it just happened and it flowed so there it is.  
And yeah, Skye lead him down to the hall to have sex. It will be explained in the next chapter.  
**

**This chapter was from Skye's POV but I think we got an inside look of Grant, don't you?  
So I hope you like!**

**REVIEW please!  
-Kay**


	7. Hand Over Heart

**As always thank you for everything, you're continuously wonderful to me and I am forever grateful.  
****You all giving me such amazing feedback is what keeps me getting these chapters out!  
Sorry this took so long, but remember I'm back in school now so essays come before fun.**

**Q&amp;A/Responses:  
****Sabrina: They will be more not-physically intimate later, but as I said a few chapters earlier taking your clothes off is the easy part and they both have trust issues so it's harder to just blindly trust someone and hope they won't hurt you. They're both just testing out the waters and such.  
About the timeline: Skye has been 'fooling around' with Ward for about a month. Just thought I would clear that up, but be ready for a time jump.**

**ALSO IMPORTANT NOTE:  
I revised the last chapter the morning after I posted it so if you haven't reread it I suggest you do. I wasn't happy with how unresponsive Skye was to Grant opening up (I posted the chapter when I was dead tired and when I looked over it I was like ooooh and edited a bit). So there is that.**

**Without further ado, Chapter 7**

* * *

Skye admired nice bathrooms.

Well, a bathroom was a bathroom, it's where ya you know, but a nice shower/tub setup was practically priceless. (She was sure there was a price on even the most glorious bathroom in the world, but the feelings it gave you—that was the priceless part.)

SHIELD HQ had alright bathrooms, but not the type that evoked feelings in a girl. After living out of a van or bad hotel rooms a bathroom that made her feel at home and calm and serene was priceless. The SHIELD bathrooms didn't even have tubs really, just stand-in showers kind of like a locker room and it was pretty sad. Well, Coulson had a tub in his personal quarters and he did share for weird favors. Like Simmons was a kick-ass cook so for certain meals she got a time slot in the tub. Skye had learned that when being exceptionally annoying if she promised to stop for a spot it was usually granted. For May all it really took was a death glare.

And Grant Ward had a lot of things going for him, one of them being a glorious bathroom. There was no tub (she didn't see him as the kind to take a long soak after a hard day) but his shower was breathtaking for a girl who admired bathrooms.

It was glass, but looked almost shattered to avoid seeing anything in case you were walked in on, and had a showerhead hanging from the ceiling as well as one in the wall at chest-level that angled downwards. And the wall-head (was there a name for it?) had a hose connected to it that she was sure would reroute the water from that head. It also had a bench and heated tiles.

Was it some kind of joke that people who worked for Hydra had nice showers to stay, like, hydrated? Or was Grant Ward just as in to showers as she was?

So after he fell asleep (or just dozed off a bit, he didn't seem very 'knocked-out' to her) and she took a bathroom trip it was just too hard to resist. She stepped under the water and smiled to herself at the warmth and serene-feeling taking over her body.

It was only a few minutes before she heard the bathroom door creek open. Grant was going to make an appearance, not that it was minded. The shower door opened and closed even more quietly as if he was trying to surprise her (if she wasn't a trained specialist he probably would have).

Lips grazed over her shoulder as arms wound around her naked waist.

"Miss me already?" she questioned after pretending to jump a little at his so-called sneaky approach.

He turned her around in his arms before connecting their lips and nodding into the kiss. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck.

They didn't have sex yet, but both knew on some level that it was going to happen before she left the apartment. There was no rush and after everything he'd shared with her and how emotional he became she didn't want to have sex to just make him feel better—it should be about more than that. They did everything but sex though and once they had both been satisfied (for her a few times—the boy went to town when he traveled downstairs, it was her new favorite thing) they'd cuddled and dozed for a little bit.

"You're cute," she whispered when they parted.

"You're beautiful," he countered, his eyes moving down her wet, naked body before finding her iris's again.

She smiled even wider. "I'm turning you into a softie, Grant Ward," she teased and he just touched their foreheads together. "And I love it," she added in a whisper.

He just pressed his lips to hers again and this time he began to walk her backwards into the wall. "Thank you," he murmured when he broke the kiss suddenly.

"What?" she questioned breathlessly.

She waited as he tried to figure out what he was saying. The boy was new to tapping into his emotions, it was only fair she didn't expect too much form him. "For letting me talk about Tommy and everything and," he stopped. "For not using it against me."

"Grant," she said and caressed his bottom lip with her thumb. "I would never hold what happened against you or judge you for it. We all have skeletons."

"I have a lot of them," he warned.

"Keep trying to scare me away it's not going to work," she told him. "I'm here and whatever is going on here I want it, so deal with it."

All of a sudden the water stopped and Grant led her to the shower door, grabbing the towel hung right outside of it and handed it to her. Rather than dry herself off Skye ran it through her hair to get it somewhat damp. When she looked up Grant was still standing at the door watching her even though it had been a few minutes.

"Sorry, I have a lot of hair," she insisted and wrapped the cloth around herself.

Grant just smirked before reaching down below her bum and lifting her up. She smiled down at him while rubbing their noses together because for some reason when his face was in close proximity it always seemed to happen. Plus it made her inner-girlie-girl turn to goo.

He brought her to the bed and laid her down, opening the towel to reveal her naked, slightly wet form. As she shimmied up the bed he pulled the towel out from underneath her and tossed it to the side.

"I want it too," he confessed and pressed his lips to hers before she could reply, like he was afraid of what else she could say in return.

For someone who was all badass-y and had that 'devil may care' aura to him he sure did care a lot about what she thought of him, and that had to be a good thing right? If she was going to continue Operation Turn Grant SHIELD he had to keep showing he was good, but to more than just her. Then again, it would have to go one step at a time.

She threw all thoughts away about the mission and the fact she was spying on him out of her head and focused on what he was doing to her right now. Her hand grabbed at the back of his head while her legs squeezed around his hips so he was perfectly nestled between them. They just kissed for a little bit, his hands doing more sweet things than overly sexual like cupping her face and threading into her wet hair. His lips nibbled at hers and moved down her neck before attaching themselves going back to the mouth again as if he couldn't stay away for too long.

He was hard, she could feel it, and she was so ready even though they hadn't done all that much foreplay besides making out. Then again the whole adorable shower stuff helped. Everything he did turned her on.

"Grant," she moaned and pulled away, her hands clinging to his back.

He looked over her face and she just nodded, giving him the approval he seemed to always need before taking the next step in their relationship. They stared at one another as he slid inside her and she gasped, her eyes widening. Her body's immediate reaction was to tighten her walls around him and he moaned at that, his face burying itself in her neck.

Her legs wrapped around him, her heels digging in to his lower back once more encouraging him to get going. He responded immediately and began to move in and out of her at a steady pace, taking long, leisure strokes. His lips found hers again as they both moaned.

Skye angled her hips upward so he could get deeper inside. Her body began to tremble underneath his at the feeling of him completely filling her. No one else seemed to just fit inside her perfectly or evoke so much feeling. _This_ was what she was missing with all the others. _Oh damn._

"Grant," she gasped all of a sudden when he seemed hit _something_, something she had never felt before. Whatever it was he knew she liked it and so he did it again and again almost making her body go limp.

His eyes looked into hers in a way that made it extremely erotic somehow. "Skye," he breathed and took a particularly deep thrust that made her body act on its own accord and push him away at the feeling.

He took the hint (she'd never done that before, push a guy away due to it feeling _too_ good) and sat up with her legs open wide on either side of him as he continued his rhythmic pace of moving in and out of her. She grabbed for his hands and he linked his fingers through hers, then used them to keep her hips still so she didn't try to get away again. That seemed erotic too, using herself to keep from moving.

She loved the way he looked into her eyes and not everywhere else, not that his gaze didn't change from time to time. And it wasn't awkward like the first time had been with other guys, although with them she usually liked to take charge. She hadn't loved sex before so if she was going to get anything out of it she had to make sure she got what she liked. But with Grant he took charge and she didn't care, actually she preferred it.

"Gr-ant," she panted when an orgasm began to grow and her breathing heavy.

He stopped, causing her to whine, and lifted her leg over his shoulder before descending upon her again to attach his lips with hers. Her hands scratched at his back and his thrusts started to get faster, tougher, more focused somehow. He went in so deep, deeper than she had even felt, and it was becoming too much.

"Grant," she moaned, ripping his lips from hers.

"Sh, just hold on, baby," he replied in a breathless tone, his pace quickening even more.

Her head pressed back against the pillow as her hands gripped onto the covers around them to keep from scratching at his back even more. She was close, so close, closer than ever before.

That feeling happened again, the one that caused her to go limp and she moaned loudly without caring how loud it was. Grant kissed at her neck as he continued to make the feeling happen.

She wanted to scream, tell him to stop, order him to never stop, but couldn't find words as he just thrusted in and out, never faltering.

And it happened, her hold snapped and she came with a scream that he muffled with his lips. A wave of pleasure rocked through her body, going from the scalp to the toes, causing them to curl, and back again. Everything felt tingly and warm and _tired_.

He came too and all but collapsed on top of her, but she liked it.

Once she felt confident enough to speak without stuttering she picked up his head that was buried in her shoulder to kiss him. "We have got to do that again and that's an order."

Grant grinned back down at her. "Yes ma'am."

x.o.x.o

She found herself consistently looking at the dimly lit hallway that led to Ward's office.

He hadn't made his entrance yet and honestly it was beginning to make her nervous. Suits had been going up and then coming back down almost immediately all night.

It only meant one thing—the virus worked and he was pissed off.

"No word yet?" Bobbi wondered when she noticed Skye's zoned-out expression.

Skye turned and blinked repeatedly. "No. Bakshi still up there too?" she replied.

Bobbi nodded. "Yep, not that I mind though," she said with a smile and a wink. Skye barely responded and just continued to wipe down the bar. "They're not gonna know who- well, they'll know who, but not that- you know?" she insisted.

Skye almost smiled at Bobbi's lack-of-English. They'd know it was SHIELD, but not that it was her personally. Fitz made sure there would be no way to trace the virus back to her or her computer at HQ. Right now Fitz was probably running a program to read the information like she instructed him to. Some of it would have gotten jumbled during the transfer and she wasn't there to help them read it so their next best bet was Fitz.

She half wished she was there to help and the other half wanted to know exactly how pissed Ward was. Not to mention just how guilty she felt that he was probably going to get in trouble by the higher-ups for what she did.

What if they hurt him? It seemed like the type of thing Hydra would do. And he probably wouldn't fight back because he'd think he deserved it, like it was some kind of punishment. It wasn't like he thought very highly of himself, she learned that last night.

"Yeah, I know, just want to know what is going on up there," she mumbled and Bobbi got called away for a drink order.

They hadn't even been apart for 24 hours and she was dying to see him again, only for a different reason. Well, she'd like to do the _other_ reason, but she also wanted to make him feel better. No doubt he was angry and pissed off right now.

It wasn't until close to 5am in the morning when Skye suggested it was time for her to go home. They hadn't gotten any sleep and she desperately wanted to just curly up in his arms but it wasn't an option. Bobbi would become suspicious and call her and that was a situation she wasn't interested in dealing with. So Grant begrudgingly had gotten dressed with her and dropped her off at the apartment she shared with Bobbi.

As soon as she hit the mattress she was asleep and only woke up when Bobbi came in well past noon and asked her what happened. Skye had told the truth in part, her and Grant did have a movie marathon and she did learn about his background. Bobbi asked minimal questions so it seemed she got away with it.

In a split-second decision Skye dropped the rag and went for the stairs. The suspense was killing her.

The door was locked and she heard voices, loud voices, on the other side but she still knocked.

"What now?" Ward's harsh tone cut through the wood.

Her heart gave a hard thud. She opened the door and leaned against the jam. "Uh, hi," she greeted tentatively. He was in there with three others guys including Bakshi, who was sitting behind the computer.

"Now is not a good time, Skye," Grant stated the obvious without moving from his position next to Bakshi.

"What's going on?" she wondered.

He ran a hand down his face. "Get out," he ordered but it wasn't towards her, it was to the others around him. Without a word the three men dressed in suits got up and left the room.

Skye entered the office and watched them close the door behind them as they went. "You're usually downstairs by now, thought something was wrong," she murmured, watching him collapse into his desk chair. "Did you not get any sleep?" she asked innocently while making her way to him.

"No, but that's not the problem," he sighed.

Skye bit her lip and began to rub his shoulders. His head rolled forward as she kneaded the knots. "So you going to tell me what's going on?"

He groaned. "Cyber warfare," he muttered and lifted his head.

"Like, bullying?" she pretended confusion. "Did you ever see that movie- what am I saying, of course you haven't. But, um," she coughed awkwardly. "I guess I just don't understand," she finished while making it sound like a question.

"You don't have to, it's not something for you to worry about," he replied.

"I worry about you and you're upset so I'm interested. Do you know who did it?" she asked as her hands continued to rub his shoulders.

"Yeah," he breathed. "A hacker from SHIELD."

Guilt washed over her. "SHIELD is that agency that fell or whatever, right?" she mumbled. This was part of the plan—get close, earn trust, receive intel. What they knew about her and SHIELD was extremely important. "I saw it all over the news; Captain America had something to do with it."

Grant chuckled and she didn't know why. "Yeah, something like that," he agreed.

"But they don't exist anymore I thought. After that Captain America thing I thought it was all over with," she went on.

"They exist the same way Hydra does, in the shadows. It's the only thing we have in common—the government doesn't like either of us," he grunted when her fingers hit a particularly hard spot. Man, he needed a masseuse.

"So a hacker from SHIELD or whatever hacked your computer for... what?"

"Intelligence," he answered. "They're kind of desperate right now. They're low on men, money, supplies, ammo, allies, everything. If they know what we're up to, who and where we are, and what we're planning they are better off. It's actually a smart move on their part," he mumbled on. "Just don't know how they did it."

"You said it was a hacker," she reminded him.

"Yeah, but this computer was supposed to be protected at the highest level," he said. "And somehow they got a lot off of it before it realized it was being hacked, cut it off and shut down."

So they have previous protection on it? Smart move. Skye wondered exactly how much she got off of it, but had to trust Fitz could figure it out.

"I got the guy who made it coming in to take a look, Ian Quinn, he should be here in a few days," he finished.

Ian Quinn was coming, that sucked. He was a douche-bag who only thought of himself and was addicted to power. Good thing was he'd never met Bobbi or her before. No one had really met her before.

Right when SHIELD was taken down was when she became a full-fledged agent. Of course, she had been out on missions before. Once she graduated from comms academy May stepped up her training since she could only 'half-ass' it when she was in school (May's words, not hers). She went on missions and had a work-study type deal going on, but Coulson wanted to keep her existence quiet. She kind of _was_ their secret weapon. Maybe that was A.C.'s plan all along.

"So do you know who did the hack? I mean, I don't know much about computer other than Facebook and how to google, but," she lied and stopped her back rub. She hated lying to him. He was being nothing but truthful with her and she was using it against him to get intel.

Grant turned in his chair to face her. "Yeah, a girl at SHIELD. Quinn has heard of her, or what she can do at least. Apparently she's really good, she has to be, but I'm not good with computers either. I know a little more than average," he stopped and pulled her down into his lap.

"You feel better?" she wondered and rested her forehead on his.

He didn't answer, that meant no. "I can't talk long, I got my S.O. breathing down my neck to know how this happened and I'm trying to get guys in here to see what they can do with Quinn on the phone. He's not exactly patient."

"Are you in trouble?" she whispered.

"Don't worry about me," he replied in the same low tone. "Quinn's the one who is gonna get an ass-reaming. This computer it supposed to be impenetrable and she penetrated it," he sighed.

"Don't use that word, it's so... dirty," Skye insisted and Grant smiled. "But as long as you're not in trouble I'm not as worried anymore," she went on. "I don't know much about all this Hydra stuff is so I don't really care, but I care about you." He pressed his lips against hers softly. "S.O. doesn't mean significant other, does it? Because if you're married-"

"After everything I've told you about myself do you really think I'm married?" he questioned and she smiled in response. "S.O. means Supervising Officer, he's the guy who brought me into Hydra and trained me. He's the closest thing I have to a father, or family for that matter," he explained.

John Garrett brought him in Hydra. A.C. trusted him before the big reveal, but always felt 'iffy' about him or so he said. May never liked him or even pretended to. She'd heard about John Garrett though, how all the men he trained were some of the best and often called stiffs because they were all work and no play, plus they did everything Garrett said. The man bragged about them like his own children. He had even been Tripp's S.O. and he was just dying to meet up with him again to teach him a lesson or something else manly of the sort.

"You deserved so much better, baby," she whispered before kissing his neck.

"So did you," he countered and nuzzled into her neck.

They stayed like that for a little while, but it couldn't have been more than ten minutes before there was a knock at the door.

"The mindless drones need direction," she murmured against his skin. He chuckled into her neck and pulled away. "What is your rank or whatever, are you like the biggest or whatever around?"

Grant smirked. "Level 7. Technically Bakshi is the same level, but people tend to look to me for direction because I'm scarier," he answered.

"That's weird because I don't find you scary at all," she sighed as the knock was heard again.

"One minute!" Grant hollered before his eyes looked to her again. "I'm glad you don't, it's the second reason why I became so interested in you," he admitted.

"Second?" she wondered as she stood.

He nodded. "You're beautiful," he informed her and got up to lead her to the door.

She leaned against the wall next to the door as her insides turned to goo as they so often did anymore. "You gonna come see me before I get off work?"

"I was hoping you'd offer to sleep over," he replied with a hand cupping her cheek.

"I was going to but then you said you hadn't gotten any sleep and the thought of you being the Lethal Weapon with no sleep doesn't sit well with me," she told him with a scrunched nose. "Plus, whatever this is, I want to keep it under wraps because sleeping with my boss is something that I believe is looked down upon, especially by my roommate." She couldn't be sleeping over regularly, Bobbi would suspect and everything would go to shit before she could complete her personal mission.

"Whatever you want," he murmured before kissing her and opening the door. The men waited outside for her to take her leave. "I'll send for you before closing."

Skye smiled and winked before heading out.

She was falling for the Lethal Weapon; she just couldn't admit it to herself yet.

* * *

**Okay I admit this chapter is more filler-y but I thought was needed.  
I'm also not a huge fan of it, but I also don't hate it so there is that.  
**

**I also didn't want their first time to be overly sexual...I wanted it to be more about their feelings.  
****Not to give anything away but enjoy the fluffy-nothingness now because some unpleasantness is coming up (not telling you when!).**

**Remember I am in school now so updates will be less frequent but I'm trying to do at least bi-weekly if not weekly.**

**Review even though nothing happened, hah.  
-Kay**


	8. Scattered In Pieces

t**Thanks for everything! I'm glad you didn't mind my filler.**

**Q&amp;A/Response:  
Jae: I didn't mention birth control in the last chapter because I don't foresee myself making Skye pregnant (if there there is an epilogue maybe) but it is mentioned in this chapter because of how I began it.  
bellapaige88: I think Hydra would keep the levels after the split, they are all about control and levels is one way to do that.  
LisaMichelle25: I have no idea how many chapter until present day...I'd say before chapter 15 (if we even make it there but I think we will!)(If all goes as planned.)  
Sabrina: Ward knows the hacker is a girl because Ian Quinn has heard of her because SHIELD has dealt with him before. Sorry if I didn't make that clear enough.  
****annaleigh67: whenever I finish the chapter I proofread 2-3 times an then it goes out. There is no set day, sorry.**

**I hope I'm keeping you satisfied during our long hiatus! I certainly am for my friend Kelsee who texts me almost every other day asking if I've posted yet, so be thankful for her lovingly annoying me!**

**Chapter 8, all.  
(kind of another filler, but setting things up for later-that means get ready)**

* * *

She had to admit she was paid well for her job at the bar, mostly because she was the boss's girl, but still. It was more money than she was making at SHIELD because most of its resources had to go towards keeping everyone, you know, alive, not that she was complaining. But even with the money it was not worth the annoyance of the wardrobe and foot pain.

At SHIELD she was able to wear appropriate footwear. Heels were cute, but the kind you can run in, closed-toed ones and her beloved motorcycle boots. There were fitted pants, but not the kind that left the red marks on the abdomen. Ugh, and the bras back at SHIELD were more like attractive sports bras. Of course she did have regular ones, but right now she was living in push-up hell. Most of the time it felt like her boobs were second and third chins.

This was what she was occupying her mind with while ignoring the gnawing pain in her stomach. It started a few days ago after Grant left, but she just chalked it up to a case of missing him (and his body), then she thought it was the tight pants that caused red marks. After a few days a feeling that something was wrong began to overwhelm her. Not life and death wrong, but something seemed wrong, like someone she cared about was in trouble.

She'd gotten in contact with A.C. and everything was alright at HQ. Then again if something was wrong he probably wouldn't tell her because of the Earthquake factor and because she should be focusing on the mission at hand. But it was hard to focus on a mission when the spyee was away and her stomach hurt. It almost felt like cramps, but not, and that time of the month left a few days ago so that was out of the question. Besides, she was on the birth control shot (Jemma's insistence for both her and Bobbi 'just in case') so being pregnant wasn't even a thought.

She tried to think back to FitzSimmons babbling on in the background as she fiddled with her laptop. Appendicitis was on left side, right? It was her entire lower stomach area. Maybe it was the left over Chinese she ate for dinner. Ugh, she also didn't want to get sick right now, let alone have a bout of food poisoning, that would suck. But she didn't feel nauseous; maybe something like a laxative was needed. Ew.

"You look... uh, good," Bobbi stated with a sour look on her face upon coming up to the bar.

"Do you feel okay?" Skye questioned trying to breathe in and our evenly, hoping it would help.

"My bra is pressing into my rib cage, but otherwise yeah," she replied. "Something wrong?"

Skye nodded. "My stomach, it feels like- I don't even know. Bad," she mumbled. It felt like someone was ripping up her intestines or whatever organ was connected to her stomach, but telling Bobbi that would probably result in a call to Coulson thinking it was something new wrong with her. Not only did she have the power of earthquakes, but she could feel pain too? But whose pain was it? Everyone around her seemed to feel fine.

"Well, I just heard it through the grapevine, Boss-Man is back," Bobbi told her.

Skye's eyes widened. "What? Grant's here?" Before he left he'd given her a satellite phone in case anything happened on either end and they needed to contact one another. It was the cutest gesture in the world coming from the Lethal Weapon, who promised to call when he was coming home so she didn't have to worry.

"Yeah, upstairs from what I've gathered. Bakshi ran up there a little bit ago," the senior agent said.

What a dick! Here she was worrying about him and he was back and didn't even call or text the phone he'd specifically given her so she knew when he was in the clear? He'd told her he was going on a mission in South America and she'd passed the information along so anything could have happened.

"Well I'm about to head up there myself," Skye muttered as she tried to ignore the feeling in her stomach.

Bobbi smiled at her determination, only she didn't know it was for all the wrong reasons. "Get 'em girl."

It'd been almost a month since they'd finally had sex and a week since he'd left on his mission, didn't she at least deserve a phone call? At least that way she could have complained about her stomach pain and maybe he would have made her feel better and- she shook her head at the thoughts. He wasn't her boyfriend. What even was he?

She pushed the thoughts away and rather than knock just walked into the office to find a murderous looking Grant and Bakshi, who looked like he was about to piss himself. "Hi," she greeted stiffly with arms crossed over her chest.

"Go," Grant ordered to the suit and he promptly left the room.

"Look who-"

"Not now, Skye," he cut her off. "You shouldn't be up here," he added on.

She almost laughed at his audacity to say that. "Are you kidding me? I've been worrying about you for a week and I find out that you're here because Bakshi left Bobbi because you needed him? What is that?" she demanded.

"I had more important things to do than to let the girl I'm sleeping with know I'm okay," he responded and his tone cut through her like the pain in her stomach.

It felt like knives were slashing at her insides, but she didn't dare show emotion other than the anger now filling her. "The girl you're sleeping with," she repeated back to him with a head nod. "Why not just be brutally honest and say the stripper you're fucking?" she dared.

His jawbone poked out of his skin as he ground his teeth together, but said nothing for a long moment. "I can't deal with this right now. I have more things to deal with than the fact that you're pissed off at me for not letting you know I'm fine and coming back," he told her in a guttural tone. "Now I'm standing right in front you, alive, that should be enough."

A sharp pain ripped through her, causing her to just about curl into a ball on the floor with a yelp.

"Skye!" Grant rushed to her side in a second flat. "Skye, baby, what's wrong?" he demanded to know.

Somehow she smiled. "Now I'm your baby, huh?" she grunted. "It's nothing," she muttered afterwards.

He picked her up bridal style and brought her to the pear-chair, laying her down on it while he straddled the other side, facing her. "What is it?" he asked, ignoring her previous comments. "What hurts?"

"My stomach or- I don't know," she breathed as the pain eased just a tad. "It started, like, two days ago, but it's gotten worse and just now- I don't know," she said again.

Grant unzipped the short-shorts she was wearing and pulled them down a little then pressed a hand against her stomach. "Does this hurt?" he wondered softly.

Warmth spread through her lower abdomen. "No, well yeah. What you're doing isn't causing any more pain than before," she told him.

He leaned forward and kissed the skin below her navel. "I don't like that you're in pain," he murmured and kissed again.

"You might have the magic touch, it doesn't hurt as much," Skye admitted and threaded her fingers through his hair.

"I'm sorry I didn't call," he apologized so quietly she almost didn't hear it. "You're not some stripper I'm fucking, I just-" he stopped.

"What?" she asked, sensing he was still tense and incredibly pissed off. The pain in her stomach lessened to a manageable throb, but that was the furthest thing from her mind. What was wrong with him? He seemed _off_.

"My mission," he muttered. "It got... sidetracked, Garrett wasn't happy," he told her while avoiding the eyes. "It's the third mission in a month where SHIELD has made themselves known. He thinks we have a mole, someone is giving information to them."

The never-ending feeling of guilt washed over her. "What did he do to you?" Skye questioned and sat up. Grant was forced up too, but still avoided eye contact. "Grant, something is wrong, it's why you were being a dick. What happened?"

"I've been distracted," Grant whispered and stood to move away from her. "He could tell, said I needed something to remind myself why I am what I am."

"You're the Lethal Weapon because he made you into it," she insisted from the chair. "Not because you wanted to be."

He didn't look at her. "I wouldn't tell him about you, denied that I was even distracted," he went on. "So he made me do something that would fix my focus."

Skye tugged on his hand and it surprised her when he just about stumbled back until he was sitting again. "What?" she whispered and kissed his cheek.

"There's this thing called the Berserker Staff," he stated.

Her heart clenched. Garrett made him hold the Berserker Staff? She'd been a part of the mission that brought it in and saw May hold it, how she reacted to it. That in the hands of Grant probably did the same thing it did to May—made him relieve his worst experience and fueled him with hate and rage.

"Y-yeah," she stuttered out with eyes closed, knowing he had to explain it to her because she wasn't supposed to know what it was.

"It's Asgardian, as in where Thor is from. It fills you with rage and the strength of ten men. Two days ago John locked me in a room with it, made me hold it, made me feel pure and intense hate. At its core, it 'shines light in your dark places,'" he quoted before finally looking at her. "I have a lot of dark places."

She leaned her forehead against his temple with her arms around his neck. "I'm so sorry," spilled from her lips before she could stop it. It was all her fault; he had to hold that horrible thing because she was feeding information to SHIELD, because she was following orders.

"Don't, it's not your fault," he replied and leaned into her embrace. "He wants it to be your fault, but it's not your fault."

"What do you mean?" she murmured, burying herself in his neck.

"John knows," Grant stated. "He knows I'm distracted because of a girl and it's making him angry. Before when it was just fucking other girls there was no feelings, no attachment, no _weakness_."

"How does being with someone you genuinely like make you weak?" she wondered. "If anything it should make you stronger, at least that's what all the songs and books tell you," she mumbled as an afterthought.

Grant visibly swallowed. "Wanting something for myself deters me from his larger goal and love is a weakness."

Skye's heart shuttered at the word 'love' but ignored it for now. "Do you hear yourself? Being with me deters _you_ from _his_ goal? What does that even mean?"

"I'm not loyal to Hydra, Skye," he admitted and her heart leapt. What? "I'm loyal to Garrett. He saved my life, I owe him everything," he went on. "To remind myself of that he had me hold the staff, to remember how he found me in the first place, as a weak, pathetic, little boy that-"

"Grant, stop," she cut him off. "You were seventeen and had been through so much, you saw your own brother-"

"I know, it's what I saw when I held the staff, Skye," Grant interrupted. "I saw Tommy's body floating in that damn well because I wasn't strong enough, because I was weak and I promised myself I wouldn't be weak anymore," he said in a firm, no-nonsense type of tone. "I won't be weak again."

Skye nodded and stood, removing herself from him. "Right and I make you weak."

"I already told you I'm not giving you up," he told her, looking her in the eye. "I thought about it, I tried, and I folded the moment I saw you again," he admitted.

"What? You wanted us to stop-" she couldn't finish.

"I called Bakshi up here to tell him I was leaving. Permanently," Grant confessed, never looking away. "That he had to run the club, but then you walked in and instead of telling you to leave I told him to," he went on. "I don't have control when it comes to you."

Skye turned away from him and felt like laughing for some reason. He was going to leave her? He was going to leave. He was going to have Bakshi run the club and leave her behind when she was working her ass off to make sure he came with her back to SHIELD. What even was he to her? More than a fuck buddy but less than a boyfriend? What even was that?

Nothing made sense anymore.

"Were you even going to tell me if I hadn't come up here?" she asked quietly, holding her lower abdomen because the pain made itself known again.

"No, I was just going to be gone," he answered honestly. Of course he was honest; he always was when all she did was lie.

She was mad him for _attempting_ to leave when one day she really _was_ going to leave one day even if she was trying to take him with her. After he found out about all the lies, all the deception, if he did love her would he even come?

Love her? She didn't even love him, she liked him a lot and wanted to be with him for the foreseeable future but- why would she decide to take him with her if she didn't have intense feelings for him?

"Skye." All of a sudden Grant was behind her. "I'm not leaving. I can't. Don't worry, okay?"

She shook her head and stepped away. "I, um," she started. "I think I-" she swayed on her feet.

"Skye, sit down," Grant ordered and brought her back to the chair. He felt her forehead and she just stared at him. "I don't think you feel warm, but this isn't my area of expertise. I can defuse a bomb but I don't know if someone is sick. Good life skills, huh?"

"I like when you joke," she muttered with a watery smile. "Makes you less robotic."

"Hey, why are you crying?" he murmured on his knees in front of her.

Her body was shaking now. "I don't know. My stomach _hurts_, I'm _so_ angry and I don't even know why, I'm upset you were going to just leave, I'm relieved you didn't, I- I," she stopped and covered her face with her hands. "Something has to be wrong with me," she just about wailed before throwing herself in his arms.

"Do you want to go to the hospital, is something really wrong?" Grant asked, entirely out of his element.

"No!" she exclaimed. What was wrong with her though? She didn't cry, she wasn't a crier. It was Fitz who cried during sad movies, not her. "I'm sorry, I don't cry, I don't know what's going on," she sniffled. "You're the one who just had to hold that staff thing."

He pushed hair behind her ear. "It wasn't the first time I've held it, you learn how to deal. It's the first few days that are the worst, then this feeling settles in your gut," he told her and let go a long breath. "It's like all your demons slicing through the intestines trying to get out, to rear their head when you try so hard to keep them in and forget about all of it."

"You've had to hold it before?" she asked rhetorically.

"On a mission once it was needed," he said with a nod. "It's still as horrible as the first time, but at least I knew what to expect."

"Can we get out of here?" Skye pleaded after a silent moment.

Grant stood and brought her with him. "My place?"

She rushed downstairs to the changing rooms, catching Bobbi's eye purposefully on the way.

"What's going on?" the elder girl asked when she managed to get away from Bakshi two minutes later. "Why are you changing?"

"He was going to leave," Skye stated in an angry tone as she hopped into jeans. Bobbi just raised her eyebrow. "Garrett thinks there is a mole and is pissed that all their key missions are getting disrupted. He thinks Grant is unfocused and made him," she stopped while shaking her head angrily.

"What?" Bobbi asked.

"They have the Berserker Staff and Garrett made him hold it as a punishment for being 'distracted,'" Skye explained. "Grant wanted to leave the club because I am a distraction and put Bakshi in control."

"So what changed? Do you still have a reason for being here or are you changing because you're done?" she wondered.

Skye shook her head. "I think he's staying, I mean, we need him to stay we're getting a lot of good intel out of this," she insisted, trying to keep it business-oriented and not personal. She wanted him to stay because she was selfish, not for SHIELD, but she also didn't care at the moment. He was so close to leaving, if she hadn't gone in there when she did...

"Yeah, but if Garrett is already suspicious," Bobbi replied pointedly, "we don't need to put you in danger."

"You're just saying that because of my _thing_," Skye told her. "Because I haven't seen any real action since."

Once the earthquake ability became active she was put on full SHIELD lockdown, not because they were afraid of her, but because her powers were volatile. It was why Coulson moved HQ to Providence from the Playground—the area was less populated in case if a massive quake, also it was more of a sound structure being built under the ground already. He didn't want her to feel ostracized or isolated so he uprooted the whole organization for her benefit.

It meant the world to her.

The earthquakes stopped a few days later once the shock wore off (no pun intended), only becoming a problem when she became too emotional. It wasn't something she wanted to control, it was something she wanted to stop and Coulson respected that decision. May taught her a variety of ways to control her breathing and heart rate, well more than she already knew anyways. She was 're-enrolled' in the morning tai-chi with her S.O. to calm the nerves and relax.

It worked and after three months without an incident Bobbi came back from undercover with a job opening, one Skye needed. Being practically detained under the watchful eye of the 'parents' was becoming too much to deal with because it was something she never had to deal with before. So after a series of tests that would 'affect her emotions in various calculated ways,' as Simmons said, she was cleared to go.

Still, it had been close to six months since she'd been in a life or death situation because even in the tests FitzSimmons administered she knew her life wasn't at risk or when fighting May, Hunter, and Tripp all at one time for that matter. If Garrett showed up and she was made who knew what could happen? Definitely not her, but it didn't matter—the personal mission of turning Grant SHIELD wasn't over so the mission in general couldn't be over either.

"Maybe, but it's true, you're too valuable," Bobbi insisted.

"You're just afraid of A.C. and May," Skye accused, now fully dressed

"That may be true too," her partner admitted. "But Skye, look at me," she ordered and the younger agent did as she was told. "Do you think your job is done here? Do you think that your life is worth continuing this just for some intel?"

Skye was quiet. It was a serious question from the fellow specialist. Bobbi trusted her to say when she felt threatened because while this mission was important, it was not important enough to stay if her life may be in jeopardy. If she felt the need to get out Bobbi would respect it and call for an extraction. It was a big deal to know when the mission was done for a specialist; it could be the difference between life and death.

"I'm not done here," Skye stated. "I'll be okay. This is important and when I feel done I will let you know."

Bobbi stared at her for a long minute, studying her, then nodded slowly. "Alright, but keep me updated since you're obviously leaving and I want a full report when I see you tomorrow."

Skye nodded. "Agreed, I'm sure I will have more to share."

Hours later found Skye in bed with Grant fighting sleep.

"What happened?" she whispered with eyes closed while Grant's fingers doodled on the small of her naked back as they laid in mess of arms and legs intertwined together.

"Hm?" he grunted in return.

"That caused what's-his-name to think there is a mole or whatever," she explained. "I mean, maybe SHIELD just has more resources than you think." It was all becoming too easy and it sickened her. All she had to do was act worried, ask questions, sound innocent and he spilled his guts to make her 'feel better' about everything, reassuring her he would be fine.

"They've interrupted the transport of supplies time and time again, known about classified missions, get to targets before we do, know where we are stationed, the list is too long," he told her. "Garrett isn't happy and it's my job to make him happy so I needed re-calibration by way of Berserker Staff, he knows how it affects me."

"I've never met the man and I hate him," she admitted softly. "I don't like the way he treats you and punishes you, it's inhumane. You deserve so much better, baby."

He pulled her closer. "I'm doing just fine right now, thanks."

She smiled and opened her eyes. He was already looking back at her. "It just makes me think that if someone else had found you and offered you another choice," she stopped and ran her knuckles down his face that had a day or so of growth on it. "You could be so different."

"Someone else has found me," he responded and kissed her nose.

Her eyes slid closed at his words. "You're too cute." She hoped he continued to think like that, that maybe soon she could mean more than Garrett. He already said he wasn't loyal to Hydra, that was good for her personal mission.

"You bring it out in me," he insisted and kissed her lips gently.

"I love that I do," she mentioned. "But Grant promise me something," she insisted while opening her eyes.

"Whatever you want," he stated easily.

She moved forward and kissed his lips. "Promise me if you ever think about leaving again that you'll at least talk to me before you decide on anything."

"Skye I'm not going anywhere," he replied as his eyes bore into hers. "I finally found something worth fighting for and I'm not letting go."

"You have to say you promise," she murmured, unbelieving.

He nodded. "I promise you."

x-o-x-o

"Grant!" Skye exclaimed in a serious tone.

"Skye," he responded evenly.

"Don't."

"I'm not doing anything."

"You know exactly what you're doing."

Grant just grinned.

"See!" she insisted while pointing as if it would help. "Stop!" she repeated and stomped her foot.

He shook his head and leaned forward onto the desk. "Make me," he challenged.

"You know those two words when said in a relationship turn anything sexual, right?" she told him with a raised eyebrow.

"Relationship?" he questioned, mimicking her expression.

Shit. "Um, I mean- ah!" she squeaked when Grant propelled himself over the desk and tackled her to the ground.

He pinned her hands above her head. "What were you saying?" he asked with a smile.

"Damn you, Grant Ward," she stated, heaving from having all the wind knocked out of her.

"Never let yourself falter in front of the enemy," he said devilishly.

She struggled against his hold. "Is that what you are, the enemy?"

"I can be," he replied, but meant it flirtatiously.

Rather than let herself falter, as he said, she just smiled and puckered her lips in a request for a kiss.

He leaned down and touched his lips to hers, but didn't quite kiss. "You consider this a relationship?" he wondered and his grip loosened.

Taking advantage of the situation Skye rolled them over and pinned him to the ground. "What did you say about faltering?" she teased, but he just stared at her waiting for an answer. "Yes, we can consider this a relationship," she told him. "But if you don't want to then I'm going to play it off and pretend I don't so..."

He chuckled and lifted his head to kiss her. "Relationship it is then."

Before they could kiss the door opened and Grant had her on the floor behind him in a second, assuming a protective stance in front. "Raina?" he questioned, not at all sounding like Grant. Right then he was the Lethal Weapon.

"Grant Ward," a woman greeted.

Skye's eyebrows scrunched. She called him Grant Ward, not some other bitch! Whoa, was that jealousy?

Grant stood from his crouch and held a hand out for her. "What are you doing here, Raina?" he demanded to know, the Lethal Weapon continuing to dominate the man in front of her. Whoever this woman was Grant obviously not comfortable in front of her.

An African-American woman in a tight, silk flower dress looked her over with a type of Queen-Bee aura to her. "The Clairvoyant sent me."

The Clairvoyant? Her hands formed into fists. The so-called 'Clairvoyant' had A.C. kidnapped and tortured. Skye just looked between the two, trying to read them as Bobbi and May taught her to.

"He did, did he?" Grant said in a sarcastic chuckle. "What for?"

She was still looking Skye up and down. "He thinks you need help with distractions and I can see why."

* * *

**Aw shit.  
****You like? I do, but I feel like it's a filler when it's not?  
****What do you guys think?**

**I feel like I glossed over Skye's 'powers' activating, but there will be a flashback to her father and all later, I just needed that info out right now.  
It will be more in-depth later, no worries.**

**So tell me what you think!  
-Kay**


	9. The Future That We Hold Is So Unclear

**You guys are amazing! I love waking up to all the reviews/kind words.  
****You're good peeps!**

**Shout out to bellapaige88 for catching something I wanted to be caught, FYI ;)**

**So the wifi at my university sucks, meaning I usually use an ethernet cord and literally every time I went to save it would come out a little and no be connected so the page wouldn't load and I would lose everything. Stupid wifi, I lost a lot of great stuff!  
Then the site wasn't working so that sucked too.**

**Here you guys go (finally)! Enjoy.  
Chapter 9**

* * *

"So I'm not a girlie girl and I'm not exactly a badass, but I can kick ass, so what does that make me?" Skye wondered aloud as she cringed at the sight of her toes.

"Um, a regular girl?" Bobbi answered in a shrug.

Skye chuckled. "I guess, I'm still not good at this stuff. Probably because my maternal figures as a kid were nuns. They don't exactly teach you how to paint your nails and put on eyeliner," she mumbled. "But I can quote the bible for what it's worth."

"Well, in this line of work I'd say it's worth something, you never know when your time is up, you know?" the elder agent reminded before taking the nail polish out of Skye's hand to fix the botched paint job.

"That's true," she sighed and watched as her toes began to look normal again. "Hey, Bob?" she asked softly a few silent moments later.

"Yeah?"

"How far have you gone with Bakshi?" Skye questioned.

Bobbi looked up from the younger agent's toes. "As far as I'm comfortable with," she answered. "You're done."

She put her toes on the floor to dry. "Thanks, but um, how far is comfortable?" she pressed on.

Bobbi tightened the nail polish and put it on the coffee table with an audible smack. "We haven't had sex if that's what you're asking," she told her.

"No, I know that, but- I just... we don't talk about it," Skye muttered and avoided eye contact. "What we do—it doesn't take something out of you per se, but it has this air about it where it's like shame or something."

Bobbi nodded slowly. "Guilt, more like," she corrected. "I know what you mean, but this is what you sign up for as a specialist, you have to do things others won't. It requires being able to live with having a wavering moral code."

Skye was quiet again. "So you feel the guilt too?" she whispered. It was like talking with an older sister about sex when you're still a virgin—awkward, but comfortable at the same time.

She nodded again. "I do, mainly because of Lance," she admitted.

Skye scrunched at Hunter's first name. He just wasn't a Lance and the only one to call him that was Bobbi. "At least I don't have that issue," she sighed. She felt guilty all the time to the point where it was beginning to overwhelm her, eat at her, haunt her, but what she was doing didn't feel like _cheating _exactly. It was cold, hard betrayal. It did feel wrong even if it was right too. "Are you going to tell him what you've done?"

"No," Bobbi answered firmly. "We have a rule—what is done on missions of this kind doesn't affect us, or at least it was a rule."

"What's it like?" Skye asked, causing Bobbi to finally look at her. "To be in love like that?"

She smiled fondly. "It's a roller coaster. I'm always fast out of the gate, I hit the drop, the turn, the loop, the screeching halt and then I'm back in line to do it all over again."

"Is the ride worth it?" she wondered in a hopeful tone. If whatever she was doing with Grant was any sort of endgame it had to be worth it, right? Or else she was screwed more than before.

"I'll let you know when it's over," Bobbi answered honestly. "With Lance it's different; it's why I married him."

"Then why are you divorcing him?" Skye asked without thinking. It was still a sore subject with her friend, the divorce, and she regretted bringing it up, but couldn't take it back.

Now Bobbi was quiet. "It's... complicated. It always has been with Lance. My being undercover has put it on halt though so who knows what will happen in the future?"

"I'm sorry, it wasn't my place," she apologized.

Bobbi waved her off. "It's girl's night, what is girl's night without a little heartfelt talk?" Skye smiled, but knew her friend was hurting. "You don't think you've ever been in love like that?"

Skye shook her head. "No, the closest I ever came was with Miles and we know how that turned out." Miles great in the beginning, but when SHIELD turned out to be something she wanted to be part of it fell apart. Then she realized what an asshole he was.

"You will," Bobbi assured her. "And it'll be wild and crazy and amazing, I promise."

"I bet," she murmured with a knowing smile just as the phone rang.

Bobbi picked it up on the second ring and Skye pulled her knees up to her chest.

Grant made her feel wild and crazy and amazing and incredibly stupid, among other things. He made her laugh uncontrollably and giggle, which no guy had done before (when she wasn't faking it), and he made her blush with just a look from across the room. She had butterflies and goose bumps and all the stupid stuff girls wished for after watching _Titanic._

After a considerable time away she found that her body literally ached, like its way of longing for him. The stomach pain had disappeared after a few days, but sometimes it felt like her bones ached when she thought about him too much and he wasn't there to turn to. It didn't help that they'd had zero time alone together since that Raina chick showed up and declared herself the talent manager, meaning she was in charge of the girls now. She'd already smooth-talked two girls onto the 'naughty list' as it had come to be called, girls who didn't think they wanted to be on it before. It was just so wrong and dirty to have to be talked into joining it. Grant usually had the girls talk to Sienna about it; she was at least easier to approach. Now they were being almost forced.

Coulson had history with the girl in the flower dress, she was the one who put him in that horrible machine that made him remember T.A.H.I.T.I., but Skye never had the pleasure of meeting her, Bobbi either, which was good considering her new arrival. But she would be all too happy to get a few rounds with her when the missions were over and done with.

The night Raina showed up she spent the rest of Skye's shift in Grant's office talking with him and afterwards he was _not_ happy. Apparently the 'Clairvoyant' didn't like that he was distracted or whatever either and sent her to oversee things, to see where the mole was, if there was one. And they both knew that Grant's great, big distraction was Skye and Skye only (and she kind of was a distraction, admittedly) so they were trying to keep their distance.

At work she was almost never in his office anymore and when he was on the floor their interactions were minimal. It was so hard to stay away from him, especially since they just got past that stage of the new-ness and it was more like a relationship. They were at the place where it was fun and silly and _fun, _more fun than she had ever had with a guy before.

Grant Ward was her secret boyfriend and he was fun, who knew?

Gosh, she was in a relationship with Grant Ward, it was hard to believe.

"I have to go to work," Bobbi broke into her thoughts. "One of the girls called in sick and apparently Raina chose to call me because I'm a common favorite."

"What a bitch," Skye muttered as Bobbi went into her room to grab clothes. Everything she'd need to get ready was already at the club, she just needed an outfit. "So much for girl's night!" she hollered while wiggling her toes.

"I know, right?" Bobbi sighed, already coming out of her bedroom with a bag slung over her shoulder. "Of course they wouldn't call in the boss's girl on her night off."

Skye smiled brightly. "Thank God for small favors."

A few minutes later Bobbi was out the door and Skye cleaned up the remnants of their so-called girl's night. They had planned manis and pedis, sappy movies, junk food, the whole works, but not everything goes according to plan. Then again, it wasn't exactly the real plan for the night.

Less than ten minutes later there was a knock on the door and she skipped over to look through the peep-hole. "That was not the knock we agreed on!" she sing-songed.

"Do you want the knock or the extra mozzarella sticks?" was the grumpy response.

With a smile she opened the door to reveal Grant in all his glory, but most of the glory was the food, she was sure. "Mozzarella sticks please," she requested with hands out. He held the box away and leaned in expectantly. "Oh, fine," she mumbled and kissed him quickly, then he released the fried food from his grasp. "You are the best secret-boyfriend ever."

Grant closed and locked the door behind him. "But the question remains, would you say the same thing if I hadn't brought the food?" he wondered while putting the numerous boxes down on the kitchen island

"Probably not," Skye answered with a big smile and wink. "So I take it everything went well at work?" she asked innocently.

"Something like that," he told her and opened the pizza box. "Trish was happy to call off for what she would be making for the night and Raina came to the conclusion of calling Bobbi in all on her own," he filled in. "Or so she thinks."

"And we get date-night all alone," Skye sighed happily, watching as he organized a smorgasbord on their plates.

"Pays off to be dating a spy, huh?" Grant replied and leaned in for another kiss that she readily returned. Like it was even his idea, she thought of it then planted the seed in his brain to set it up. She was the real spy here.

Guilt washed over her, but she shook it off as they parted. "I missed you," she whispered.

"I was only gone for three days on a quick op, I've been away for longer," he reminded her as they made their way to the couch, plates in hand.

"It's not like we've been able to see each other lately though," she mumbled. "I miss you."

Grant moved to put both of their plates down on the coffee table in front of them. "I've missed you too," he murmured and pulled her into his arms. "I used to love being alone, now I hate sleeping alone," he commented, almost in a laugh.

"I know, you're one great cuddler, Grant Ward," she said into the nook of his shoulder. "I hate Raina, fire her."

"I wish, the higher-ups think she's needed in the club," he insisted.

"But why? I mean, we've hardly been together so you're not distracted and your missions or whatever are still getting infiltrated or however you put it," she rambled on. "Tell her to hit the bricks and then we can do it on your desk," she urged.

"Garrett still thinks there is a mole, he's put people he trusts in charge of places like the club all over," Grant replied. "Usually I'm enough, but since he thinks I'm distracted..."

"I thought you said that the 'Clairvoyant' person put Raina in charge of the girls?" Skye questioned, confused. "Not your superior authority guy."

"Supervising Officer," he corrected. "And Garrett and the 'Clairvoyant' have a lot of things in common."

"What, they're both fakes? I mean, I don't know if I believe that someone can really be a clairvoyant and don't even get me started on Garrett," she went on annoyed. She never liked him before, but after the whole Berserker Staff incident she was ready to put a bullet in the back of his head if she ever got the chance. Tripp would be willing to help with that mission.

Grant leaned forward and picked up both of their plates. "I don't really believe in it either, but you know us Hydra Agents, we do as we're told so that means Raina is in charge of the girls," he said.

"Alright then, hurry up and eat so I can climb your body like a jungle gym in the bedroom," she ordered, causing him to choke on a slice of pizza.

"Skye," Grant practically groaned hours later. "Again?"

They'd eaten their dinner and watched a movie before he carried her away to the bedroom. It'd been almost a week since they'd been together and she just couldn't help herself. At least she was making good on the 'climbing his body like a jungle gym' comment, right?

She grinned down at him after she straddled his waist. "I thought guys liked when their girlfriends had healthy sex drives?"

"They do, _I_ do, but I'm tired. Gimme a quick nap, yeah?" he suggested with his eyes sliding closed.

Skye just looked down at him. For once he was completely clean-shaven, he said it made him look more trustworthy on missions. With or without a beard he was just so unbelievably cute and sexy somehow. Her fingers reached out to feel the curves and crevices of his face. He had slight eye bags, like he hadn't been sleeping. After their first round she'd done a full body inspection as a joke, but for real because she worried. He said his mission went off without a hitch, but still. He knew she worried so he might lie about whatever happened. There were no obvious marks or scars.

"What're you doing?" he wondered softly, reaching out to grab her hand and intertwine it with his, but his eyes remained closed

"You're pretty," she cooed, causing him to smile.

"You think so?" he replied in a chuckle.

She nodded even though he couldn't see her. After a quiet moment he squeezed her hand, making her smile a bit too. "Grant, why do you have to be Hydra?" she found herself asking and now his eyes opened. "I mean, I know why but _why_?" she whispered.

He sat up making it so their bare chests were touching and rather than answering, probably because he didn't know how to, he just rested his forehead on hers and wrapped his arms around her waist. They stayed like that for a few moments, just holding each other, not doing anything overly sexual. It was little bit before he playfully bit at her nose, making her giggle.

"You're stupid," she insisted, appreciating that he was trying to make her feel better even though he didn't know how to.

"Well, you're with stupid then," he replied with wagging eyebrows.

"Now we have to get shirts since you said that," she told him in a laugh. "Imagine the 'I'm Stupid' tee underneath your leather jacket—hawt," she teased.

"As long as you wear the 'I'm With...' one right next to me," he agreed.

She didn't answer, just smiled, and looped her arms around his neck before burrowing into his chest. She was falling in love with the Lethal Weapon, how crazy was that? He was so different than his reputation; it's unfair how he's seen on paper to everyone else.

He reciprocated by burying himself in her neck and hair.

After a few moments Skye reached down in between them and began to stroke his length only for his head to whip towards the door just a second or so later, his hand stopping hers. Then she heard it too.

Bobbi was home.

They were both quiet for about two minutes waiting to see what she would do, shower or eat or go straight to bed. Then there was a soft knock on the door. "Skye, are you up?" was heard even softer in case she was sleeping. She was a night owl so her being up wasn't exactly surprising.

In an instant Skye was up, robe almost on, and went for the door. She'd never had Ward in her room before when Bobbi was in the apartment too. That was just too risky, but she didn't notice the time until then. Maybe she was distracted too. "Hey," she greeted, exiting her room and feigning a yawn. "How was work?" Before Bobbi answered she went on, "let's walk and talk, I have to pee."

Bobbi followed and waited for Skye to do her business to speak up. "It was fine, the norm, listen," she said as Skye washed her hands. "Coulson got in contact, he needs me to come in for something."

Skye turned. "Is everything okay, is anyone hurt? I had a bad feeling the other week and-"

"Skye, everyone is fine," Bobbi interrupted. "He just needs my interrogation expertise," she insisted. "Apparently someone, he couldn't say who, isn't cracking and he wants me to have a go."

She nodded. "Are you sure everything is alright?"

Bobbi nodded this time. "Yeah, I was wondering since you're the boss's girl if you'd tell him something dramatic so I could get some time off? Like, my grandfather died or something so I can get a few days off."

Skye waved her off. "No problem. When you leaving?" she wondered.

"I have a rendezvous point in about two hours," Bobbi answered in a sigh. "So I'll let you get to sleep and let you know when I'll be back in a few days?" she suggested.

Skye nodded. "Alright, well send my love and tell A.C. Fitz should get a monkey," she told her.

Bobbi chuckled. "Will do, have some fun on your own."

After another minute or two they parted and Skye went back to her room. Grant was half-dressed, looking like he might need to make a quick getaway. "All clear?" he wondered.

"What were you going to do, shimmy down the drain pipe?" Skye asked in a laugh.

"I've done worse," he replied, already lifting off his shirt.

She climbed into bed and took off her robe without a care. "Bobbi needs a few days off, not sure how many yet," she told him.

"Alright."

"You don't wanna know why?" she questioned.

"I don't care," he answered easily.

Skye rolled her eyes. "Her grandfather died, it was a long time coming thing, she's leaving in like an hour," she told him anyways.

"Alright," he repeated. "While she's here gimme an hour to sleep and then we'll finish what we started when she came home," he sighed and got underneath the blankets.

Skye shook her head as he got comfortable in her bed, looking as cute as ever.

Well, at least they'd have a few days alone together no matter whose apartment they were at since work became a no-touch zone.

x-o-x-o

Her eyes smiled at the sight of Grant naked in bed, the sheet only coming up to the V formed under his abs. It almost made her mouth water, good thing she was already drinking some coffee (even though it was late in the afternoon).

The smile turned into a grin at the fact that he was still asleep. She wore him out often. It was like once she'd had the unbelievable sex (finally) she couldn't stop, literally. It was a wonderful, horrible, incredible addiction. Most of the time they only stopped because he fell asleep, she would be tired too but the need for him overwhelmed the need to sleep.

She'd been sleeping at Grant's place ever since Bobbi left for what Skye assumed was HQ. Of course, she wasn't allowed to know too much. There were no levels, but there still were levels of secrecy to everything. It was one of the many reasons she loved being around Grant, he always told the truth even if all she did was lie. Lying to him was becoming so hard, so hard to the point where she avoided playing the spy at all costs anymore if possible. She just wanted to be Skye, like how he was just Grant around her.

Bobbi left four days ago and was coming back the next morning so she'd have to go home tonight, unfortunately. Her schedule at work had been light since Bobbi left, as had Grant's, and he'd made it that way so they could spend as much time as possible together. He was letting Raina do what she wanted which made her happy and the 'Clairvoyant' as far as she could tell. Garrett was happy he was complying too, something about how he was letting Raina in meant he had nothing to hide.

Her eyes continued to scan over Grant's bare form and his, um, morning happiness.

In a rash decision she put the mug down and as gently as possible straddled his waist, removing the sheet as settled. His eyes didn't open, but his hand slid onto her bare thigh as he fought to wake completely.

Skye's hands knotted into the bottom of the shirt of Grant's she was wearing as she lifted herself over his length and then down onto it.

As if he as expecting it Grant's other hand grabbed a hold of the opposite thigh and pulled her forward by the back of her knees, making so he was inside her more fully, all without opening his eyes. Damn, he knew her so well.

Skye's own eyes closed as she began to move up and down his penis, her hands moving back to rest on his thighs, allowing him to go even farther inside of her. Grant moaned beneath her, his hips beginning to match her own movements a bit.

She tried to regulate her breathing as her heart-rate spiked, but it proved to be difficult because she could only last so long on top of him. He was the biggest guy she'd ever been with, and he was perfectly big. She took his shirt off of herself and just as she began to move in circles Grant, seemingly on the same wavelength as her, flipped them over so they were both on their sides and slowed the thrusts.

"Wake me up like this every morning for the rest of our lives, please," he mumbled before kissing her.

Skye smiled into the kiss as her arms wound around his neck, her legs squeezing his hips. "I'll do my be-best," she murmured in a breathless tone.

Grant kept moving in and out of her at a slow, steady pace and she let herself enjoy everything. It didn't feel like sex, it felt like something more, even if she was afraid to admit it out loud.

After a few minutes his speed quickened and his thrusts went deeper. It felt like she was coming apart at the seams, as it often did, a feeling she had grown to love. "Gr-ant," she moaned huskily. "I love you."

His thrusts stopped and a feeling of dread overwhelmed her. What had she done? She did love him, she just didn't realize it until right then.

"I-I'm sorry, I-" he stopped her by pressing his lips against hers and moving so he was on top of her rather than on their sides.

"Say it again," he urged before continuing his movements.

Skye looked over his face and saw the awe in his eyes. It wouldn't surprise her if he hadn't really heard it before, she hadn't really either. "I love you," she stated.

His thrusts began again with such intensity she came almost instantly, and then again and again until he stopped because he finally came too. She went limp underneath him and he collapsed on top of her.

"I l-love you," she repeated in a stutter.

His lips pressed against her collarbone. "I love you too."

Her heart practically melted and then she let out a shaky breath. He loved her too? Did it mean her (personal) mission was complete? Would he follow her back to SHIELD? She hoped so on all counts. She wanted to go home, but only if he would come with her.

She had to figure out a way to test if he would follow without letting him know what she'd done, all the lies she told, and why they got involved in the first place, but how?

"When are you going to tell Garrett about us?" she got the courage to ask some time later as they still lay naked in bed.

Grant opened his eyes lazily, his face resting on the pillow next to her, and looked her in the eye. "I don't know," he answered honestly, of course, he was always honest with her.

"I'm always going to be a distraction to him, aren't I?" she mumbled sadly. "I mean, we love each other, but all he will see is a distraction from his cause, whatever that is. Hail Hydra, right?"

"I told you I'm not loyal to Hydra, I don't hail anything, I'm in this for John," he replied. "He saved me and if he hadn't I wouldn't be here right now, with you."

She nodded. "But when is it going to be enough? When are you free to do what you want, fight for whatever you want to fight for?" she wondered.

"When I save him," he told her.

"What do you mean?" she asked, sitting up on her elbow.

Grant began to play with her fingers and focused on that rather than her. "He's dying, Skye, and I have to save him," he murmured.

She took her fingers away from his and hooked them under his chin to make him look at her. "How can you do that? What's wrong with him?" she pressed.

"It's hard to explain—you're not Hydra so you don't know how strange the world really is," he insisted and she fought an eye roll. She probably understood how strange the world was more than he did. "He was hurt back in the 90s and in his words he had to 'duct-tape himself back together' because the organization he worked for wouldn't save him, remember when we talked about SHIELD?"

Skye just nodded.

"They wouldn't save him, he gave them his entire life and they wouldn't save him, so he turned to Hydra and I can't say I blame him," he went on. "And he became a part of this project called Deathlok where they tried to save him, but it was more like a better duct-tape job. He'd running out of time now and I have to save him. He's done so much for me, baby, I have to try and repay him. Maybe once I find out what saved Coulson it can save him too and then we can be together."

Skye's mouth opened in shock, but she quickly covered it up. "I- um, who?" she asked shakily. Garrett was part of Deathlok? Mike wasn't the first subject? What did they know about Coulson?

"This man, he died during the Battle of New York, you know when all those aliens came from the sky?" Grant explained, to which she nodded. "He was dead for days, but somehow SHIELD brought him back to life. John's become obsessed with figuring out how that happened. If SHIELD brought him back to life, the same thing has to save John's life, right?"

She just nodded, knowing he needed reassurance even though she wasn't supposed to know what he was talking about. "A man came back to life?" she questioned since it was supposed to shock her. People weren't supposed to come back to life, she had to act stunned.

"Yeah, that's the mean reason behind my ops. There is this other project called Centipede that Raina was in charge of, but it's been at a standstill because she needs more information," he went on to pill his guts. This was everything she needed out of him, HQ would be so happy, but it made her stomach sick. "The Centipede drug she helped develop is keeping John alive for now, but that could change at any time. When I leave I'm usually hunting down information about whatever saved Coulson and when I finally do John will live so then maybe I can too, only with you."

Skye just leaned forward and kissed him soothingly. "I hope we can too."

Hours later found Skye walking down the street towards her and Bobbi's apartment, feeling like shit. She'd finally gotten everything she ever wanted out of Grant, or everything HQ ever wanted, more like.

Well perhaps they'd still want future mission info because that was helping them greatly, but still... she'd gotten everything, but at the cost of knowing the man he thought of as a father was after what brought the man she thought of as a father back to life. She would never risk Coulson's life, never, so she had to tell what she'd found. But after that would they pull her out? John wasn't saved yet and personally she didn't want him to be saved, but to get Grant to come with her is that what had to be done?

She adjusted the bag of groceries in her hand and stopped after seeing something in her peripheral. Her car was surrounded by two black SUVs outside the apartment building. She had decided to walk to the store because she didn't need much and got an awesome parking space out front she didn't want to give up. The store was only two blocks away, but that wasn't what stopped her.

It was the SUVs. It was SHIELD.

Skye hid behind the corner of the building, dropping the bag without a care. Why where they there? Bobbi wasn't even due back yet-

Bobbi walked out of the building with a Koenig behind her, Hunter too, and then Skye understood. Bobbi knew about her and Grant, she didn't know how she knew, but the other agent definitely knew.

Coulson didn't need her for an interrogation, they went to speak about her and decide what to do and they called it. Extraction. The mission was over, she'd been made and they thought she was home because the car was out front, but she wasn't since she decided to walk to the store.

Fuck.

Her mind began working in overdrive.

Grant.

If she wasn't home they would go there next—to Grant's and they knew exactly where it was because Skye had told them. It was either that or the club. Still, she had to get to him before they did and try to explain, try to get him to come back with her.

What had Bobbi done?

* * *

**DUN DUN DUN.  
****I don't like the sex scene, but I tried, yeah? **

**What do you think will happen next?  
Tell me your theories!**

**Review please :) even though I'm evil.  
-Kay **


	10. You Might Be Right But I Don't Care

**Thanks for everything guys, sorry that I gave you guys heart palpitations as you all seemed to review. That's not good!  
****As always, thank you for everything!**

**Sorry this took so long but I had two huge exams and three journals and it all piled up.  
Hopefully next week is going to be lighter.**

**Q&amp;A:  
****bellapaige88: That was why I had them go to the bathroom, so it could be discussed. I only do legit scene breaks when it's a huge change in time, I don't see the need to do scene breaks when I can just say it in a line when it's only an hour or so later. **

**Here is chapter 10, don't hate!  
It's a bit of an emotional whammy, just an FYI.**

* * *

Skye got to Grant's apartment a little over five minutes after finding an unlocked car down the street. Stealing a car wasn't exactly SHIELD protocol, but she was breaking all the rules anyways so it was at the bottom of the worry list. Besides, if they didn't want her to use the skill they probably shouldn't have taught it to her—and getting to Grant first took priority.

As soon as she saw the door cracked she knew it was too late. They'd sent men ahead for some dumb reason and Ward would have already taken them down. Skye let out a shaky breath and entered the apartment, closing the door behind her before bending down to check over one of the agents on the floor.

Ward didn't kill them, did he? She searched for a wound, knowing Ward would have gone for the head and heart to kill, but found nothing. An ICER was on the floor a few feet away and the man was breathing. He used their own ICERs on them. She smiled to herself—he didn't kill them that had to count for something, right? The other man on the floor was breathing as well. Good.

"Grant?" she called out tentatively. She didn't have a lot of time to work with, but if she didn't let him know it was her he might just use an ICER on her too, or maybe a real gun. He had to have figured it out by now.

There was no answer.

"Grant!" she exclaimed, moving toward the bedroom they had occupied only hours ago. If SHIELD had sent more than two foot soldiers after him, and they should have, she could be missing something and walk into a bad trap if she wasn't careful. He wouldn't take any chances, so he was either hiding to hit his next mark or gone.

The bedroom looked empty as she walked in, but then she heard a gun cock and knew he was waiting. He knew she'd come. It was getting annoying how he was beginning to know her better than she knew herself.

"I'm the mole, aren't I?" Grant asked from behind.

Skye turned slowly. "Grant, listen-"

"Aren't I?" he demanded to know as he walked toward her and pressed her against the opposite wall, the pistol against her temple.

"Grant, please, let me explain-" she stopped when his free hand wrapped around her throat.

"I should have known with all your questions and worries about me, it was just an act," he growled, his hold tightening around her neck. He looked murderous, his eyes dark, a cut lip, and tousled hair—in another circumstance it would actually be pretty hott.

Having no other choice Skye kneed him in the balls and he dropped his hand so she could get more air to her lungs. First rule of defending yourself, if you can't breathe you can't stay alive (not that he was going to kill her, but still the rule counted). "Grant, listen to me, yes I'm SHIELD, but I do love you, please-"

He was already recovered from her assault, or lack thereof, and pressed the pistol hard to her chest. "Don't give me that bullshit about loving me. It was the perfect way to say 'I love you,' right? During sex so it really doesn't count and you got me to spill my guts."

She shook her head repeatedly. He had to understand, this was happening all wrong. "No, I love you Grant, I love you so much. Do you think I'd be here unarmed if I didn't, with no backup?" she questioned and blinked tears out of her eyes.

He faltered. "You're a spy, I know how this works, I've done it myself," he spat. "It's not real."

Okay, this had to happen quicker and him threatening her was not helping the situation. She grabbed a hold of his forearm and pushed the gun out of his hand, then turned him to press his front against the dresser, hoping with him pinned she could talk. He seemed stunned at her change of pace. "Yeah, it started that way, but it hasn't been like that since we kissed," she promised, but he just elbowed her to the face, causing her to stumble back. Well, the stun didn't last long.

"So the day you finally learn all about John and how I need your precious director and the day this all comes to an end is just a coincidence?" he questioned, grabbing her by the hair.

Alright, he was pissed off, he had every reason to be. "Fine, you wanna do this the hard way," she mumbled before ramming into his stomach so they both went stumbling to the ground. "Yes, it is a coincidence," she grunted, trying to pin him once more. "Bobbi figured out that I wasn't just playing spy, I don't know how but she did."

Grant threw her over his head so she was on her back, knocking the wind out of her, then climbed on top. "Oh, so sleeping with me wasn't part of the plan?" he questioned, holding her down by the throat.

Skye scratched at his face and poked his eye to make him loosen his grip and then threw a right hook to his jaw, knocking him over. "No, actually, I wasn't allowed to do more than have you kiss me," she informed him as she stood shakily. "But like I said, I do love you and falling for you wasn't part of the plan," she insisted and for fuck's sake delivered a kick to his stomach, but he caught her leg and twisted it, making her screech and send the foot to his face.

Grant scrambled to his feet since her foot didn't have much force in it and she backed up while trying to stay off her leg. He wiped the blood of his lip.

"Come with me back to SHIELD," she pleaded. "You don't have to be loyal to Garrett anymore-"

He interrupted by throwing her over the bed. She tumbled off and tried to get to her feet, but Grant was already there, and tossed her towards his desk. "Is that what this was about?" he asked, holding her from behind around the neck in a surprisingly loose chokehold. "Recruiting me?"

"Not a chance," they both heard the gun cock behind them and he turned, keeping Skye in the hold. "Now let her go or I shoot and this isn't an ICER."

"Bobbi, let me deal with this," Skye insisted, trying to remove his arms from around her. This was not helping the situation either.

"Yeah, _Babs_, listen to her," Grant grunted, a gun now in his hand too. There was one in the desk; it was why he brought the fight over there. Of course, she should have known that he would have more than one stashed in the apartment. "This is more of a boyfriend and girlfriend fight," he teased, pressing the barrel of the gun to Skye's head. "We don't want to have our friends involved and take sides, that just wouldn't be fair."

"Shut up," Bobbi warned and stared him down.

"Grant, it doesn't have to be like this, you can come back to SHIELD and-"

"That wasn't part of the mission, Skye, don't," Bobbi instructed.

She just glared in return. "He won't shoot me, Bobbi, but he will shoot you, so get out and let me handle him," she grunted as Grant's hold tightened.

"Don't sound so sure, baby," Grant insisted, cocking his gun. "It's not like you really loved me, right?"

Skye pushed out of the hold and he let her. "Do you really think you could do it?" she asked and in his shock lowered the gun a little.

"Skye, don't goad him-"

"Shut up, Bobbi," Skye snapped, bringing Grant's gun to rest on her forehead. "You think you can shoot me, do it," she dared.

He seemed stunned again, the pistol even shook in his hand and she knew that even though he was mad and hurt and incredibly pissed off he would never really hurt her.

"Come with me, Grant, we can be together and-" she stopped when a shot was heard and Bobbi's aim hit Grant in the shoulder. "NO!" she exclaimed and dove down to the ground with him. "No, no, no," she repeated and applied pressure to his wound. "Y-you're gonna be okay, just-" there was another shot, this time an ICER, and it hit him in the leg to knock him out.

Before she could even react she was hoisted to her feet and being practically carried away. "Come on, love, he's got back up on the way," Hunter insisted as she struggled against him.

"H-he might bleed out, we need to help him," she cried and watched the blood ooze from the bullet wound that no longer had any pressure on it.

"Skye, Hydra is on the way, he called for backup," Hunter reminded her again.

"Just shoot her," Bobbi ordered and both Hunter and Skye looked at her in a form of shock. "We don't need an incident and we have to get going before his back up arrives."

"Bobbi, please, we have to help him, you shot him-" she was interrupted when Bobbi took Hunter's gun and shot her in the shoulder, resembling the wound Ward received from the same agent just a minute ago.

-xoxo-

When Skye woke she was in a med pod back at HQ, it was easy to tell from her surroundings even though it was dark.

Home, sweet home, supposedly.

She briefly wondered how long she'd been out because it was a long way from LA to the Canadian wilderness, even with the Bus's capabilities. However, it was protocol to keep unstable 'subjects' under sedation until they were at a more secure area. With the earthquake factor and how she'd behaved in the field it wasn't a stretch to see her as unstable. How there was no earthquake in LA she'd never know, especially once Grant was shot.

Her eyes, which had only just adjusted to the surroundings, slammed closed.

Bobbi shot him! Bobbi shot him, then had her pulled away so she couldn't tend to the wound, then had him hit with an ICER too. What if he was dea- she shook her head. No, it was just a shoulder shot, he'd survived worse and they did say back up was coming. He had to be okay. It all had to be okay so she could make things right, there had to be a way to make things right.

In a rash decision Skye sat up and pulled the needles in her arm out. Simmons would have taken every precaution, ran every test, done everything to make sure she was alright. A machine started beeping, but it went ignored as she got out of bed and left the pod.

Everything felt like it was closing in—Bobbi ruined _everything _just as Ward told her major intel. It was a coincidence, right? Or did Bobbi know long before then that she and Grant were involved and was waiting for a moment to present itself like so? Bobbi was one of the best undercover agents, it wouldn't be surprising.

But there had to be a way to make things right somehow and to make matters worse they dragged her back to HQ where she would have to sit through a debrief with Coulson and May grilling her, telling her how she failed, how much she'd messed everything up when she had the best training imaginable. They'd never trust her again—probably never really let her out of their sight either.

And Grant. She had to see him, had to tell him how Bobbi messed everything up, how it _was_ a coincidence (to her at least) that the day he'd told her everything was the day Bobbi got an extraction. She had to tell him she loved him more than almost anything and assure him that he was good enough to join SHIELD, that underneath it all he was so much better than the hand he'd been dealt.

Ward _was_ the mole and Garrett had to know by now. Garrett was probably already with him by now too. What would they do to him? They would punish him, they punished him for being distracted, they definitely were going to do worse for being the mole even if it was accidentally. And they would do worse than the staff this time.

They were going to hurt him because of her. The thought made her body physically ache.

Suddenly her insides felt like they were being torn out and it made her stumble, but she managed to stay on her feet. She didn't even know where she was going until she saw it. Her van, her home when things were much simpler, even if they were less than ideal. She climbed into it, hospital gown and all, and tried to let the familiarity calm her.

Freaking out wasn't an option, she'd done so well. But the truth was she hadn't done so well, she'd done horribly actually. She let SHIELD down, the agency that had been protecting her for most of her life. She failed at the mission and let A.C. and M&amp;M down, they were going to hate her. They never should have let her go, if they hadn't then maybe she never would have met Grant and fallen for him and ruined everything.

Skye curled into a ball and held her head in her hands as she teeter-tottered back and forth and tears fell from her face.

She missed Grant. Everything hurt and she needed him, he always seemed to make the pain go away. The loneliness she'd felt since she was a little girl tended to fade when he was around. But the hole that always seemed to reside in her heart turned into a black hole that sucked everything good in.

A.C. and the team, she loved them, she really did, but no matter what that hole in her heart would always be there because she grew up never really feeling loved or loving in return. And the team loved her, she knew they did, but not in the way Grant did. With him it wasn't some familial obligation—it wasn't really with the team either, but it was different. They chose each other, he loved her—_loved_. What if he didn't love her anymore?

"No, no," she began to chant as the pit opened in her stomach and the feeling of having no control took over. "No," she wailed as the ground began to rumble.

She was triggering an earthquake.

Instantly lights turned on and alarms began to go off, a modification made to the new HQ when her ability made itself known so people could get to safe zones. People needed safe zones around her.

The tears only came faster and the ground continued to shake uncontrollably. She was ruining everything so completely it was a feat in itself really, but knew what needed to be done right then.

Skye exited the van and tumbled to the ground as it moved beneath her. Someone shouted, she couldn't tell who, but she also didn't care. She just needed the pain to stop, the twisting of her intestines, the tearing in her heart, the black hole that had taken up residence in her very being. It all needed to stop, it was too much.

"Skye, you're okay, you're at HQ," it was Simmons, she knew even though her eyes were closed and the room was loud and she was curled into a ball on the cold, shaking floor. Simmons was supposed to be at Hydra HQ, why was she back?

"Make it go away," she pleaded and opened her eyes to find the team around her, but she shied away from the caring arms that were outstretched. "All the pain, it hurts too much, make it go away," she insisted, grabbing onto Jemma's arm in a desperate manner.

She hated taking medication to make the quakes stop, they all knew it. She wanted to learn to control it on her own, the starting _and_ the stopping (mostly the starting), but she didn't have the will to attempt right then.

"Jemma, please, I can't feel this anymore," she cried weakly.

Jemma just nodded and said something medical to Fitz who all of a sudden had a syringe to hand her. Before it was even ready Skye held her arm out, surprising the bio-chemist who said nothing as the needle penetrated her broken friend's skin.

Skye felt relief as the warmth spread and her eyes felt heavy. Coulson was already lifting her into his arms to bring her back to medical.

"I'm sorry," she murmured softly, so softly she wasn't sure if she even said it.

"It's okay, Skye," A.C. assured her, but she knew it wasn't okay, he just wanted to make her feel better because he loved her like a daughter. "You're going to be okay."

"But I'm not sorry I love him," she whispered and that was the last thing she remembered before losing herself to unconsciousness again.

-xoxo-

Headquarters sustained minimal damage, or at least that's what Coulson said when she woke up. Then again, she didn't wake up for over a day after the incident so if anything was wrong Coulson would have had it cleaned up ASAP.

Debrief was pushed back a few days so she could 'recover' from the extraction and earthquake she caused. She thought that with how she handled the mission they would be mad at her, yell, demote her maybe, but instead they were coddling, and somehow that was worse. Instead of treating her like an agent and giving her consequences they were acting as if they were scared of what would happen if they did hand out consequences. Yes, that was so much worse.

She'd been under Jemma's watchful eye for another day before she was allowed to go back to her room, but it didn't feel like her room anymore.

Everything looked different, or maybe it was that everyone looked at her differently. Even after they first moved HQ to Providence because of her earthquake ability everyone went out of their way to make sure she wasn't excluded, now it was like... like how people looked at Grant back at the club with a mix of fear, respect, and maybe a little bit of disgust.

But the waiting and stewing was over, the day for debrief finally arrived. It felt like it took forever instead of just three days, it was still three days spent locked alone in her room looking over stupid texts and pictures that had to do with Grant. She wasn't ready to talk to everyone else even if they wanted to talk to her.

The door to Coulson's office was open. May, Bobbi, and Hunter were all in there with him. May and Coulson she would deal with. Bobbi was another story.

"Sir?" she knocked at the doorjam respectfully. In this situation he wasn't A.C. or even Coulson, he was her boss, the director of SHIELD.

"Skye, come in, we were expecting you," Coulson said politely waving her in as he did. "Close the door behind you."

She stepped in, but made no move to close the door. "With all due respect Sir, I was hoping we could do this just the three of us," she said stoically. There was no use in asking May to leave, she didn't want her to leave in the first place, but her S.O. wouldn't leave even if she asked.

Bobbi looked shocked. "Are you serious?" she questioned her, standing from the chair. "You're mad at me after what happened?"

Skye ignored her and stared at Coulson, resembling May just a bit.

It took a moment, but Coulson nodded. "Agent Morse, we're heard your side of things with no interruptions. I think it's only fair we do the same with Skye," he spoke up. Bobbi went for the door with a huff, Hunter trailing, and closed the door behind them. "Take a seat, Skye."

She sat in the chair Bobbi had just occupied. "Am I still an agent?" she asked, making Coulson's eyebrows raise from behind his desk. "You said Agent Morse, but you've only called me Skye."

"Yes, Skye, you're still an agent," he answered. "But you have to realize just how many rules and protocol you broke by getting emotionally invested-"

"Did I?" she cut him off. "I know I got too close, I knew a long time ago, but I also knew I was getting the intel out and I didn't hold back one piece no matter how I felt," she insisted. "And if you're going to start in on the physicality of it, yes I did that too, but how many missions have been given with just that in mind to get a job done?"

Coulson was quiet for a moment again. "But that wasn't your mission," he countered. "And part of being a specialist is knowing when you're in over your head and getting out because of that. How many times did May or myself tell you there is no shame in that, it is part of being a good specialist," he reminded her.

"I wasn't in over my head—I was getting the intel and I planned," she stopped.

"To bring him with you?" May finally spoke. "Bobbi told us you said that when he confronted you."

She shook her head. "He didn't confront me, that wasn't how it happened. I saw the extraction team outside of our apartment and I went to Grant knowing they would check there. I had to get to him first. Yes, he threatened me with a gun, but I started the physical altercation. He wasn't going to hurt me."

"How could you know?" May asked. "With his skillset and teachings-"

"Are mine all that different?" she cut her S.O. off. "You did call me your secret weapon, didn't you? You trained me in secret just like Garrett did with him, you wanted me to have a skillset not many others have and kept it to yourself." They were all quiet for a moment. "And I know he wasn't going to hurt me because he loves me."

"How do you know he wasn't playing you Skye?" Coulson asked.

"I'm sure Bobbi didn't tell you this but," she began and tried not to get emotional. "During our altercation, I got free from his grip and dared him to shoot me," she admitted. "I put his gun to my head and told him to shoot me if I didn't mean anything and then told him to come back to SHIELD with me. He was lowering his gun when Bobbi shot him in the shoulder. Then, as I was tending to the wound she had Hunter shoot him with an ICER and take me away."

Coulson and May looked at one another.

"That was why I didn't have myself pulled out. I fell in love with him and he loves me too. I planned to bring him back with me. His Hydra knowledge would have helped us immensely. He has a level 7 rank with them. Garrett was his S.O. and Garrett has a high rank with them now too," she went on before they could speak. "And the day Bobbi had me extracted I learned everything we were wondering about John Garrett."

"What's that, Skye?" Coulson questioned.

"He's dying," she answered. "After the events of the Bosnian war he became the first subject in Project Deathlok, but it wasn't successful. The centipede serum is all that is keeping him alive right now and Grant said that even that is sketchy, it could stop working at any time. They're looking for whatever brought you back to life, Sir," she told him. "It's why they send Grant on odd missions that don't quite make sense to us. They're having him follow leads on T.A.H.I.T.I. and Garrett is the one who had your tortured by Raina's hand."

"He just told you this?" May wondered.

Skye nodded. "Yes. He's not evil, he's not like them, Garrett made him into the Lethal Weapon, he never asked for it."

"That I believe," May muttered.

Skye stood with her hands clasped behind her. "I know I let you both down and I'm truly sorry about that. I'll take any consequence you think is fit for my actions," she stated.

"You're on desk duty as of now with no indication of when you're allowed to leave this building, let alone enter the field," Coulson told her. "We still need you to sift through what we got off that computer and see what you can do. There is also the matter of the earring you left in Ward's office."

Skye looked to and from May, then back. They had the earring?

"Bobbi managed to acquire it when you were extracted. We need it, but I'm sure there are, um, personal moments," Coulson said awkwardly. "That you don't want shared and that I honestly don't want to know about it."

She nodded. "About the earthquake, I-"

"Skye, we knew when we moved here earthquakes were going to happen. We sustained minimal damage and Fitz has the government thinking their equipment is faulty to detect earthquakes. I think he's been having fun with that," Coulson cut her off.

"With all due respect, Sir, I was wondering if there was a way I could get in contact with Grant. I know he would come if he had the option, he-"

"No," May interrupted. Skye looked pleadingly at Coulson.

He shook his head. "I'm sorry, Skye, no. That was never your mission and we can't trust him even if you think you can," he agreed.

"But you don't understand what they will do to him," she pleaded, stepping towards his desk. "They have the Berserker Staff and made him hold it because Garrett thought he was distracted, because of me. Now that they know he was the mole they might," she stopped. "A.C. please," she whispered.

"No," Coulson denied.

Skye looked to May. "M&amp;M, you know what the staff does; they're going to do worse to him this time. Please, you can come; I just need to reach out to him-"

"You heard our director, Skye," May told her. "I'm sorry," she said stiffly.

She blinked back tears. "Fine, am I free to go?"

"Yes, you can go," Coulson told her.

Skye went for the door and just about slammed it behind her, letting tears fall down her cheeks. As quickly as they came she made them stop, tapping into her inner Melinda May as everyone used to say. She couldn't get too emotional, that could trigger another earthquake.

But no matter what they said she was going to find a way to speak to Grant, even if it meant leaving the building without their permission or knowledge.

* * *

**Okay whew. Here it is.  
I hope you like? I do.  
I had some trouble writing Skye post-earthquake because we haven't seen that in the show yet.**

**So about the Skye/Ward fight...that was planned from the beginning. Remember I said this was Mr&amp;MrsSmith-like.  
Besides, if everything was easy how fun of a story would that be?**

**What will Skye do not that her 'parents' have forbid her from seeing Grant?**  
**Tell me your theories!**

**Sorry for the wait again, hopefully the next one won't take so long.**

**-Kay**


	11. The Bed's Getting Cold & You're Not Here

**Thanks so much for everything, as always. You improve my mood (which always seems to need improving these days).  
****Thanks for your feedback on Skye post-earthquake(s), it means a lot! More to come.**

**Now now, I can't tell you all when they get married (or if Ward was telling the truth about all that- did you ever think of that, hm?) that would be no fun! Just trust me because I have an outline and ideas out the wazoo!**

**So here is Chapter 11.  
Just remember that Skye is a much better fighter in this than she is in the show because she's been training for years.  
Enjoy.**

* * *

"Skye, wake up," she heard as her body moved without consent. "You're having a bad dream."

"Hm?" she sat up abruptly, pulling the sheet over her bare chest as she did. "What- what day is it?" Could it all have been a dream?

Grant chuckled and sat up too. "The same day you fell asleep, weirdo," he teased as he slung an arm around her neck and then kissed her shoulder. "You alright? You were thrashing and kicking, it was like sleeping on the San Andres Fault."

She almost laughed at the accidental-pun. If only he knew. "I-I'm sorry, I-" she was cut off by him placing a soft kiss to her lips.

"You're fine. I get nightmares too," he admitted. "Hopefully about different things though."

Skye nodded and buried herself in his neck. "It was so real, I thought," she stopped to kiss his skin and calm down. She didn't want to drop the earthquake bomb by actually having him experience it firsthand. "I used to get night terrors when I was a kid, they were horrible, but this one..."

"Hey, you're okay, you're with me. I won't let anything happen to you," he assured her and laid back down with her still in his arms.

"You're good with this boyfriend stuff, Grant Ward," she murmured.

"Well, I try and I know a few things about not sleeping well. I used to have nightmares about my brother, both of them once Tommy died," he said while rubbing her back. "I still do, but I've learned to control them."

"How?" Skye whispered shakily.

He kissed the crown of her head. "If I feel one coming on I don't sleep."

"But how do you feel one coming on?" she wondered. "I can be fine and then just- I don't know."

"I don't know, I just do," he said when she stopped talking. "I can go days without sleep. I have to in the field sometimes. After a while when I pass out I'm too tired to even dream."

Skye was quiet. "I don't think that's very healthy."

"Never said it was, but it works for me," he replied. "But why don't you talk about yours? What made you almost kick me in the goods?" he asked and she laughed a little.

She sighed. "I- you were gone and I wasn't allowed to find you, but I needed you. No one understood how much I love you and everything hurt."

Grant was the quiet one now. "I don't love you."

"What?" she asked and looked up at him.

He backhanded her and she almost fell off the bed. "You're a liar and I don't love you, I never did."

Skye sat up and briefly noticed the room rumbling around her before quickly stopping it.

The dreams were the worst. Not a day went by where she didn't dream of him and it was always so real. He was right under her fingertips until the end when something went wrong and she woke up. It was like he was haunting her, teasing her, and it was killing her.

Small earthquakes were becoming the norm in the morning around here. Every morning she woke from the dreams and the room was already shaking, but she was learning to stop it, the small quakes were easy to stop. It was the big ones she had no control over. Coulson wanted to start training with the quakes, see how far they could go, but was waiting until she was ready.

She laid back down and rolled over to what would have been Grant's side. It was cold. It was always cold.

The room gave a hard thud as she got out of bed. There was no use trying to get more sleep, she never could, so she usually started her training early. At this point waking up early was normal. May was happy with her renewed dedication to working out and training. Most days she was up before everyone else, although sometimes she'd wake to May doing her tai-chi.

Today would not be one of those days. It was too early even for May.

Hunter had taken to calling her Mini May as a joke, but she ignored it. She was ignoring everything. It had been almost three weeks since the extraction and nothing had really changed except for her insides. Outwardly, she trained, did 'desk duty,' and the chores that Coulson handed out at the beginning of every week. She sat in on meetings when allowed or told to, then finished off the night with tai-chi with own in hopes of no more dreams of Grant.

But inwardly was a whole other beast. On the inside she felt like she was being ripped apart, like her intestines were being taken out and played with, like her entire body should be covered in bruises. The sad part was that she was getting used to it. It was like before when she felt something was wrong and Grant ended up holding the staff only worse. There was no relief, but she as getting really good at pushing it down.

With each passing day it was getting worse and it was probably something to worry about, something Simmons would want to check out, but she still ignored it. It was more than the heartbreak which she still felt. The full-body pain had to be something else, she just didn't care. May was her S.O. so she was a champ at ignoring pain, after all she did learn from the best. Being called Mini May was more of a compliment than anything, so Hunter didn't bother her much.

Skye peeled a banana while already in the midst of eating a protein bar. She learned the hard way a few years ago to always eat before training, especially the way May did it. In the beginning it was the normal stuff, then it turned into the ninja stuff she was still working on because that shit takes years to perfect. Hunter or Trip tended to be her dummies when she was working on that while May instructed. Bobbi wanted to learn too, but she'd been avoiding the agent like the plague.

Bobbi was the one who ruined everything. It may be childish to blame her, but Skye didn't care. Bobbi could have gone to her; talked to her about what she thought was going on, something, but no. She just went running to Coulson. So now she was grounded in Providence having to watch others run around and do a job she was qualified to do, but wasn't trusted to do anymore. No one said it, but it was true.

Every morning when she woke up and waited the half an hour to forty-five minutes to digest she also made use of the emptiness to try and find traces of where Grant was on the computers. She didn't care what Coulson or May said, she was going to find him and go to him, but she needed to find him before she could go about getting to him. For weeks she'd been hacking satellites and cameras, running his face through facial recognition software and had alerts on certain phrases he might use if he was on a computer and so far nothing. It was beyond frustrating.

Having to listen to everything on that damn earring didn't help either. Hearing his voice made the ache in her body turn into a throb, like she was jonesing for him, and honestly she was.

What did help was punching. The first thing she did every morning (after eating and checking the computer only to come up with squat) was go at the punching bag to get some frustration out. It worked at first, but after a while it started to feel like she was hitting a ghost—it didn't matter how hard she hit or angry she was, nothing changed.

Skye didn't know how long it had been when she felt a tap on her shoulder causing her to just react. In one swift movement she sent her leg out behind her, wrapping around her assailant's own and hitting the back of his knee to disrupt his balance, then turned and punched him in the throat, making him hit the floor gasping for air.

"Shit, Trip, sorry," Skye immediately apologized while taking her earbuds out and reached a hand out to him.

"My fault, I know better than to interrupt you when you're in May mode," he teased.

She faked a smile. "Yeah, sorry. I just... have a lot of aggression right now."

"I noticed, want a live partner?" he questioned.

Her eyebrows rose. "You sure? I already took you down once today," she joked back trying to get into their usual banter, but it didn't feel normal. It felt forced.

"Just drink some water to stay hydrated and wait for me to get dressed then we'll see who ends up on the mat."

What started out as a friendly spar session with Trip turned into an all-out fight that did end with him on the mat many times. He wasn't letting her win, but he didn't comment on how it turned into a real fight either, and she was grateful. Trip was good at reading people, but not using it against them like Bobbi did. That thought caused her to run up the wall next to the mats with Trip's arm in her grasp and as she flipped Trip did too, only he ended up flat on his back with the wind knocked out of him.

Before she could continue with her attack Trip made the pause signal. "Okay, okay, I give!" he coughed.

Skye immediately dropped her stance and backed up. "Sorry," she muttered, heaving a little bit herself.

Clapping was heard and they both looked to the sidelines to see the field team sans Coulson standing there. Hunter was the only one clapping of course.

She helped Trip up and they both went for their waters. "You looked good out there, focused," May said quietly and she approached her. Skye just nodded. "But how long have you been up?"

"Few hours," she answered stiffly with a shrug.

"Skye, you were up late last night. This isn't healthy; you know you have to take care of yourself-"

"I'm fine," she cut her S.O. off.

May sighed. "Maybe we should talk to Simmons about giving you something to sleep, just for a little while."

"I said I'm fine," Skye snapped and put her now empty water bottle back down.

"Nice move," Bobbi commented and walked over. "I was never quite able to get the snap of that done just right, but you tossed Trip like it was nothing."

Skye just nodded. If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all, right?

"You wanna go a round?" she asked and Skye's eyes met hers. "I mean, that is what you really want, don't you?"

It took everything in her to not lash out—that could end in an earthquake. "I'm not in the mood for this, Bob," Skye stated and went to walk away.

"Well I'm sick of you blaming me for everything," Bobbi replied and Skye stopped then turned to face her. "You're mad, I get it. Why don't we just settle it already?" she questioned. Everyone seemed to pay attention now. "Unless you got all the fight out of you for the day."

"Bobbi, I don't think-"

"Alright," Skye cut Hunter off. "You want to fight, let's fight."

When May didn't object they re-entered the mats, leaving the team off on the sides.

It started slow, like they were playing were feeling each other out even though they'd sparred thousands of times. It was a jab here, a kick there, usually missing but sometimes it hit the mark, like how it started with Trip.

Then Bobbi got close and went to hit her in the neck, so Skye grabbed her arm, and swooped underneath to turn her body around and toss Bobbi over her back onto the ground. They were both quickly back on their feet and Bobbi was throwing punches that Skye easily dodged, but managed to get a hold of her arm and bring her close to knee her in the stomach.

Bobbi was an excellent sparring partner, but sometimes she was too used the batons while Skye usually fought with just her hands most of the time, like May taught her to.

Skye kept a hold of Bobbi's arm and kicked a knee out from underneath to bring her to the ground, ready to go about (hopefully) ending the fight when it felt like something tore a hole in her intestines. And it didn't help when Bobbi went to get out of the hold by punching Skye in the stomach, not that it was anything close to the new pain ripping through her insides.

Something was wrong, very wrong.

Skye, of course, faltered so Bobbi went to strike again and out of instinct she tried to block the hit since she couldn't fight due to the pain only to have a wave of _something _come out of her hands and send Bobbi flying across the room. Everyone gasped and ran after her, Skye wanted to too, but couldn't move. It hurt, terribly, and moving didn't seem like a good idea.

Panic began to course through her veins and the pain in her abdomen brought her to her knees. It was only a moment before the room began shaking heavily, so heavily it wasn't one of the ones she knew how to stop. But honestly it wasn't the earthquake that was worrying her; it was the pain enveloping her entire body.

And all she could think of was Grant. Something was wrong with Grant, something was _hurting _him. She didn't know she knew it, or why she felt it, but it was true.

"Skye?" It was May trying to get close to her, calm her, help her, but all she felt was panic and pain, unbelievable pain.

"Get away from me," she croaked from the floor, holding onto her stomach. She prayed for the pain to go away. May reached out to help, but Skye shied away. "Stay away," she pleaded, holding a hand out to stop her, but another _something _came from it and now May was the one flying across the room.

The room shook harder.

The earthquake alarm was going off, med teams were being called for Bobbi and May, the pain was not helping, and everyone was looking at her with fear. What the hell was wrong with her? What was happening to Grant?

Skye forced herself to her feet, she had to isolate herself to try and stop the quake since Simmons was nowhere to be seen with that lovely syringe. She tapped into her inner May to try and force the pain down while stumbling down the hall to get to her room. Once she did that she closed the door and fell to the floor in pain, but still tried to ignore it.

_Grant._

What the hell were they doing to him?

_One problem at a time, Skye._

Coulson wanted her to try and start learning how to using the power, but this was a helluva time to try and do that. She had to breathe, to regulate her heartbeat, to calm down. Skye tried to call to mind her training—what May taught her about controlling herself and the situations around her.

Just then the door burst open and May came through and dropped to her knees besides the young agent. "You're okay, Skye, everything is okay. The only ones not in safe zones are you and me and I'm not going anywhere. I know you can beat this."

"You have to get... out," Skye hissed. "I can't- it's not me. I have pain... everywhere."

"Look at me," her S.O. ordered and she did as she was told. "You will stop this, you just have to find the switch," she insisted, grabbing her hand and letting her squeeze as tight as she wanted.

"I-I'm sorry," Skye sputtered, her eyes filling as she looked at the only woman she ever considered a maternal figure. She very well was about to bring the whole compound down on top of them and kill the both of them.

"Don't be sorry, learn from it, control what you're feeling," May told her.

Skye nodded repeatedly, but the room kept shaking.

"Close your eyes and listen to me," May began again and Skye listened. "Breathe with your diaphragm and focus on my voice, how you know you can trust me with your life and know I trust you with mine. Think of nothing but my voice, not what is causing your pain, not how upset you are that you're the one causing this, none of that matters."

It took more than five minutes of May saying encouraging phrases for Skye to begin to calm down and the violent shaking turned into a continuous rumble.

"You're doing great, Skye, just keep breathing and know that you can do this," May went on and Skye heard more voices now that the earthquake and considerably lessened.

The pain was still there, but she was working her body around it. Just when she thought she could actually learn to control it an excruciating pain hit her right in the heart and she let out a deep squeak as her body shuddered. Another earthquake was going to follow.

"Simmons," Skye opened her eyes to see the bio-chemist and so she held out her arm. "I need something _now_."

-xoxo-

_Grant._

It was the first thing she thought of when she woke up. She sat up and searched her body for marks, for something to tell her what was wrong, but found nothing except an IV needle and heart rate monitor like normal. Waking up like this was _normal_, she almost laughed at how crazy her life had become.

The pain had considerably dulled, but something was still _wrong_.

Just as she went to take the IV out Simmons came in. "Don't! Every damn time, Skye! For once just let me do my job please," the bio-chemist huffed with a chart in her hands.

"Wha-What happened, how long was I out?" she questioned.

"Approximately four hours and don't worry, the base is fine. Director Coulson had Mack and Fitz reinforce everything after the last large quake. Most of the damage is taken care of too, no one was hurt except Bobbi for- well anyways," Simmons went on while checking the machines attached to her. "Bobbi's alright, she just has to stay off her leg for a few days then she'll be good as new. You seem to be fine too, May said you felt pain? Can you tell me about that?"

"Where is Coulson? Is there any news on Hydra, did they do anything when I-" she stopped just as he walked in. "Did anything happen with Hydra, was there-"

"I think you should be more worried about you, Skye," Coulson cut her off. "We definitely are."

"But did anything happen?" Skye asked. "Anything big, like explosion worthy, something maybe the news like-"

"Skye," Coulson interrupted once more. "No, nothing happened, why do you think something did?"

Skye just shook her head, trying to make sense of it all.

Simmons cleared her throat. "Well, Skye, I ran plenty of tests while you were sleeping so see if we could find the cause of this pain. I did x-rays, and blood work, the works, and you're normal." Skye laughed at the irony. Normal, really? That was the word she went with? "Well, your blood pressure was a wee bit high, but nothing to worry about for a few years yet."

"What happened? May said you were sparring and Bobbi hit you and it triggered something?" Coulson wondered.

"No, it wasn't Bobbi, it was just a punch. This was," she stopped. "I'd taken worse that morning from Trip, this was something else."

"Well, your bowels are clear, there is no damage to any of your organs, the blood work didn't raise any flags... if you would like me to run more tests, Sir, I can," Simmons volunteered cheerfully.

Skye zoned out as Coulson and Simmons discussed something more exciting than her bowels, hopefully.

When Coulson asked what was wrong how did she answer? Something was wrong with the Lethal Weapon and she knew it because her body told her so? That made sense; it might even be the most normal thing to happen to her in a month.

Ugh, normal, she was beginning to hate that word. It was exactly what her father said she wasn't the last(first) time they met.

_"We're not normal, Skye," Cal told her, his hair badly mussed, his hands shaking as he walked towards her._

_Skye backed up. "There is no 'we', I'm not with you," she told him. "I have no memory of you or my mother or anything. I grew up in an orphanage, I got kicked out of twenty-two foster homes, I even lived in a van until I got on SHIELD's radar when Phil Coulson took me in and treated me as one of his own. I finally know who I am now, I'm finally a SHIELD agent, I'm finally stable in my life, and this is when you decide to find me and expect to have some heart-warming father-daughter reunion? I don't think so."_

_Her 'father's' hands turned into fists. "I didn't- you think we wanted to give you up?" he demanded to know. "SHIELD took your mother-"_

_"Hydra took my mother disguised as SHIELD. SHIELD are the good guys," she cut him off._

_"They said they were SHIELD, I didn't know to even think differently. They took your mother and killed her, Daisy-"_

_"My name is Skye," she told him again. "Skye. Not Daisy, it's Skye."_

_"Your mother named you Daisy," he said solemnly. "She wasn't like me; she was actually a lot more like you. She was special, Skye, so very special, just like you are."_

_Skye just nodded. "I wish I could have known her, but... I don't and I just- I'm sorry. I like who I am now and I don't want to disrupt my life because my father who is a serial killer finally found me," she insisted. "I like my life now, I feel like I'm finally on the right path and-"_

_"You know nothing of paths!" Cal exploded. "You know nothing of your history or who you really are. You are from a long line of special people, Skye! Your mother, she passed this onto you and you will need me to help you come into your true self."_

_"Thanks, but I already went through that true self change at about thirteen, I don't think I need another one," she replied._

_"You don't understand!" he went on again. "I wasn't always like this, before your mother I was... unaware," he said and began to pace. "You'll see, one day, you'll see."_

_Skye backed up towards the door once more. "Oookay, this was nice, but-"_

_"I would have been a good father to you if your mother had not been," he stopped. "Losing her was- is- I feel it every day," he said while looking in a mirror. "It never goes away. I hope you never have to feel this pain, but if you're anything like her and you must be... you are probably lucky enough to," he stopped again. "You'll see, you don't believe now, but once you find out you'll come to me. You'll need me to explain everything to you and I will, because you're my daughter and I love you."_

_Skye opened her mouth, but nothing came out._

_"But first, since you've reached maturity it's time you have this." Cal handed her a small, velvet box. "It was your mother's and it's time you have it."_

_"What is it?" she asked before opening it._

_"Please... for your mother," he urged._

_Skye opened it to find a ring with a shiny, metal ball set on it. IT was mesmerizing even though it was so... plain and simple. She couldn't help but reach out and touch it. It was cool to the touch, but sent warmth through her body. "Wh-what is it?"_

_"A family heirloom, so to speak. Put it on," he said softly, excitedly, desperately._

_Skye took it out of the box and slipped in on her pointer finger, now sure how she knew it went on that particular finger, but it did. Once it was on a gray matching the steel climbed up her veins and into her chest, into her heart. "Wh-what's happening?" she demanded and tried to take it off, but it was cemented in place._

_"You're coming into your destiny," Cal said with an eerie smile._

_The ground began to shake and she fell to her knees. "Da- help me," she pleaded while looking up at him. Where was Coulson? The team should be almost there by now._

_"I can't, not now, but since you finally see how special you are you'll come to me," he said proudly, but she wasn't sure if he was proud of her or himself. "Whether it be because of your gift or you're lucky enough to... you'll find me."_

"Skye!" Coulson shook her shoulders gently.

She blinked up at him, still reeling in the memory. She still had the ring, but wasn't able to take it off for days after their first meeting. Sometimes she found herself just staring at it and wanting to put it on, but before she did she snapped out of it. That ring was trouble and so was her father, but he knew what was going on. The earthquakes she could eventually learn to handle, but the pain that somehow involved Ward, she couldn't handle not knowing what that even meant.

"I-I think we need to find my father," she whispered and Coulson's eyes widened. "I mean, we need to find Cal. He knows what is happening to me and he can help me understand."

* * *

**Okay so I changed how Skye got her powers because the oblisk(sp?) is still a mystery to us and confuses me so I don't want to mess that up.  
Does it still work? Let me know. I was trying to get freaky-Cal right, did I manage it?**

**Let me know what you think...  
And don't worry, Ward is coming soon! Promise.  
You will find out about all this pain-Ward-Cal stuff soon too.**

**\- Kay**


	12. Every Second's Like Torture

**You guys are amazing with your feedback! Thanks so much, you're all baes.**

**Grant is coming soon, promise! Trust me.  
All of your questions will be answered eventually.**

**Chapter 12  
(I can't believe we're on chapter 12 already!)**

* * *

Things were oddly quiet at HQ and in general really.

Hydra wasn't doing anything too menacing, nothing news worthy at least, and seemed to be laying low a bit themselves. The quiet made May uneasy, but everyone else was making good use of it.

Coulson was continuously jet-setting here and there to recruit, taking Bobbi and Hunter with him. Their director thought it was best to keep Bobbi and Skye separate and Hunter wasn't willing to let Bobbi go without him. The two female agents had reached an impasse—Skye was pissed about the extraction, but felt horrible about hurting Bobbi even though she held no bad feelings about the incident. It helped him too because the more people they could add to team SHIELD the better, especially when Hydra was being quiet. That was never too good in the long run.

While Coulson was away May was left in charge, Mack and Trip were usually in the garage fiddling with the 'toys' or betting on how many Koenig's there really were between their own chores and training sessions. Everyone else was doing something in between.

FitzSimmons were helping her with the earthquake training, something she was finally starting to get a handle on. Well, the small earthquakes at least. After throwing Bobbi (and May) across the room Coulson thought it was time to finally take it head on rather than wait. She was hurting people now when she was upset, not just the compound. It was terrifying.

The only 'exciting' thing that had happened recently was that her stomach pain had considerably dulled to only feeling twinges here or there. That just meant there was no word on Grant, so her personal mission was at a standstill. It just made everything painstakingly dull and she just wanted to find her sperm donor so she could figure out what was wrong with her. Every night she still dreamed of Grant and she'd wake up (although with no small quakes—she _was_ getting some sort of grip on it) with an ache deep within her in more ways than one. In the beginning it was just that she _missed_ him so incredibly much but when the pain died down _other_ parts of her started to miss him too. It was getting weird honestly.

It wasn't just that she was horny (she was), it was more than that. Sometimes it literally felt like her entire body throbbed, among other things. Almost nights she had to... relieve herself and it was annoying. Like yeah, okay, people masturbate all the time although she was never really one for it because before Grant she wasn't really into sex. Either way, people masturbated, it was part of life, but every night? And it wasn't even good, not Grant good, so it just made it frustrating.

Her entire life was frustrating. The fact that it took two weeks to find her father, er, sperm donor was not helping. Luckily it was right when Coulson's recruitment team came back so she was able to leave. Of course Coulson wasn't letting her go alone so May, Trip, and Simmons were coming too for muscle and medical assistance.

Two weeks. Well, thirteen days. That was how long it had taken to find Cal. For a guy who promised he'd be there for his daughter when she was ready to learn about her true self or whatever he sure was hard to track down. Just another reason Skye was thanking the SHIELD powers that be that he was not the one who raised her. The orphanage and foster homes were definitely a step up from that man. No one was happy that they had to track him down, let alone actually talk to him, but agreed it made the most sense for her.

Skye hadn't made a peep about how she knew the pain had to do with Grant, that she planned on finding him, or even about how she still planned to bring him back to SHIELD because he was _good_. They wouldn't understand, they wouldn't even try. They just saw him as evil and although she understood why it was still annoying. There was so much more to him, but she was settling to just be happy that he didn't seem to be in pain anymore.

Then they didn't land in San Francisco until well past midnight and May thought it best to wait until first light to go out looking for Cal. Yeah, it made sense, but that didn't mean it worked for Skye. She wanted to talk to him alone and May would not allow that, so what was a resourceful hacker/specialist to do?

She hacked the Bus's system to let her off, then close again before going back into lockdown mode while all the agents slept. Yeah, she would get yelled at, but this needed to be done and as she learned in the orphanage it was better to do something and take the consequences then ask and get told no then do it anyways. The latter was always worse punishment wise too.

Still, she was safe and took her gun, ICER, phone, handcuffs, the essentials, and dressed in usual field gear.

She'd tracked Cal to a dilapidated building on the outskirts of the northern California city by using security cameras and facial recognition software, along with knowing his butcher-y habits. The man was on a personal vendetta to find who ordered the execution of his wife and almost his daughter too. So in his true fashion he was tracking Hydra on his own and torturing agents to find information.

How they hadn't caught on and nabbed him yet was beyond her. Perhaps they had bigger fish to fry, like SHIELD and the government. Whatever.

Cal wasn't stupid—she noticed the shoddy cameras outside the condemned building, but nothing else seemed to be out of the norm. At least if he saw her coming he wouldn't use his knife first and ask questions later.

"Cal?" she called as she walked in and made a face at the stairs. Going up those was a bad idea, she'd probably fall through. "Cal!"

There was movement and her hand was on an ICER, but Cal came up from another set of steps that she guessed led to a basement of sorts. "Daisy?"

"Skye," she corrected instantly. "And we have to talk."

He was cleaning off his hands and she desperately hoped that it wasn't blood he was wiping off. "Right, sorry," he apologized with a big smile. "Have you been looking for me long? I knew you'd come, but for a while there I had to remain under the radar. I hope I didn't inconvenience you." He seemed way too happy to see her.

"Yeah, its fine, I found you," she replied stiffly. "Look, I have some questions."

"I've been tracking you too, D- Skye," he insisted. "The earthquakes have helped. It's such a wonderful gift you've been given. Your mother's was much more internal, but yours? I think it comes from me even though I know it's not really from me, but it reflects my instability, my personality. I like to think that anyways," he went on.

Skye just nodded. "I'm not here to talk about the earthquakes," she informed him, making sure to keep her distance and her hand on the ICER. He was right, he definitely was considered unstable, at least he admitted it.

"Okay, would you like to sit?" he questioned, leading a hand towards a door barely hanging on the hinges, then went before her to hold it open when she seemed unwary. "I have, um, some soda and burgers from the place in town if you want?"

His living room, or what he considered it, was just a few crappy arm chairs and a couch with a radio and medical books littering the dirty coffee table. There were many burger wrappers overflowing from a wayward trashcan too. Gross.

"I don't want anything, Cal," she told him and continued standing. "I have questions. Once they are answered I'm gone."

He sat down on the arm chair. "I see. Well, if your questions aren't about the earthquakes, what are they about?"

God, how did she go about explaining it to him? 'I fell for a guy working for Hydra and I know he was getting tortured because it hurt me too?' Yeah, that would go over well. "I, um, I've had these pains," she started. "And they started when- well, there was this guy and," she stopped. Why didn't she think about what she was going to say before she got there?

"You fell in love with him," Cal stated knowingly.

Skye just nodded, but looked at the ground.

"How long have you been apart?" he wondered. She blinked at him now. "You used past tense and you said you had pains. How long have you been apart from one another?"

Now she sat on the edge of the couch. "Over a month. SHIELD, it's not a normal job and- what's wrong with me?" she asked quietly.

He chuckled fondly and it almost creeped her out. "Nothing is wrong with you, Skye, I knew you would be one of the lucky ones, like your mother and I," he insisted.

"What do you mean?" she demanded to know. The lucky ones? He'd mentioned that before when they first met too. "How am I lucky? We're apart and I- he got hurt and I felt it too and set off a huge earthquake, that's not lucky."

"You have the bond," he told her. "It happens among those of your origin sometimes, but it was more prominent in your bloodlines than any other. It indeed does make you lucky, you're linked and with time the bond will only grow stronger."

"The bond? Stronger? What do you mean? We're linked how? None of this makes sense!" she exclaimed as a small earthquake made the place shudder, but she quickly put a cap on it.

He seemed impressed, but didn't comment on it. "Well, according to humans it doesn't make sense, Skye, but you're not exactly human. You're Inhuman, which means you're human but a little more... sophisticated," he explained. "And the people you come from originally, they were incredibly sophisticated. They were stronger, smarter, quicker, you see where I am going with this," he said with a wave of his hand. "They were all of these and more, but the most important thing they had was their bonds. I believe to make you understand easier you could consider it a soulmate."

Skye's mouth opened then closed again. Grant was her soulmate? What was her life turning into? What next, a third eyeball would appear on her forehead and she would be all knowing? "You said it was going to get stronger, how? We aren't even together. SHIELD extracted me- I was on a mission and I met him and-" she stood and began to pace, her head in her hands.

"The longer you're apart the worse it is going to get, Skye," Cal interrupted her thoughts. "You said he was hurt and you felt it?" She nodded and so did he in understanding. "You're beginning to feel aches and pains even though he's not hurt, right?" She nodded again. "It will only get worse. Your body wants to be near him and until it is it's going to pine for him. And this can only be so because you two..." he trailed off and made a weird hand gesture.

What- ew! "I don't want to talk to you about that!" she ordered and tried not to flush, but her cheeks turned pink.

"And your body is craving that too," he insisted, only making her more red in the face. "You've bonded with him, Skye, you're meant to be with him and your body is telling you that it wants him."

Skye continued to pace and worked on keeping her heart rate down. There would be no more talking about that part of the bond. "What if we are together, it will continue to get stronger? So what, we'll never be able to be apart?"

"For long periods of time, no, at least not on your end. It will affect you differently than him because you are Inhuman and he remains human, as you can see you've been apart a month you said and you remain functional. It will just continue to be very uncomfortable," he went on. "And once you are together again the bond will grow stronger. You will be able to sense each other's emotions, more you than him, but with time he will be good at it as well. You'll be able to know when one is hurt, as you've seen, things of the sort."

"Okay so what about him?" she went on to question him. "What if he doesn't want..._this_?" she asked, exasperated. "I mean, to be bonded to a, what, Inhuman? What if he finds that repulsive and doesn't love me anymore?"

"Skye, it's a bond that goes both ways. He has no choice but to love you. Being apart does cause him some discomfort as well. It's like an itch he can't scratch; he's jumping out of his skin, that kind of thing. It's maddening," Cal mumbled while absent-mindedly itching his forearm.

"He has no choice? So I've trapped him, is that it?" she asked herself more than her father. It did never make sense that he loved her; they didn't make much sense together. "Because I've fallen completely in love with him he has to love me?"

Cal shook his head and stood to face her. "Don't think of it like that, Skye, it's an honor to be in a bond such as this. You were meant for one another, you didn't choose to fall in love with him anymore than he chose to fall in love with you."

"You were in- with my mother? You had the bond?" Skye asked quietly with her arms crossed.

Cal nodded with a sad smile. "I still have that bond," he said solemnly. "I can never love anyone else, be with anyone else, or want anyone else. Why do you think I am the way I am?" he questioned. "I wasn't always like this. I was one liked, I even liked myself, and when I met your mother… I loved her the moment I saw her and she me, of course she knew what it was so it was easier to navigate for us than you and your beloved."

"I'm sorry," she apologized and truly meant it.

"When your mother was kidnapped I instantly knew it. I went to find her and left you with people I trusted. The moment she died I felt it, it felt like I had died and in many ways I did. I feel it every day, the emptiness, the loss, the pain. Losing her killed who I once was and forged who I became—the madman that you hate, but I can't change who I am now. I can only try and help you all I know how, Daisy."

She didn't even try and correct him. Being away from Grant the last few weeks was slowly driving her crazy because of the supposed bond and his bondmate or whatever was killed. That had to be a million times worse. Wait. "If he died, would I... or if I died, would he-?"

"Yes, you would both be shells of your former selves and become like... me. I'm sorry."

Skye sat back down with her head in her hands once again. Everything was so messed up. "You know, a few years ago I was normal. I was living out of a van, but I was normal. Then I joined SHIELD and I loved it, I still do, but everything is changing and becoming so difficult," she muttered to herself. Everything was so fucked up anymore. Well, it was what she signed up for, right? At least she couldn't say she was boring.

"You're not wearing your mother's ring," Cal commented, grabbing onto her right hand.

Skye snatched it back. "Yeah, last time I put it on I kind of ruined a small city. I don't want to mess anything else up," she said stiffly.

"Now that your powers are activated it won't cause an earthquake, it can actually help you control it," he informed her. "It's made from your people so it has special qualities and can help calm you. You've realized that the earthquakes occur when you're unstable, yes?"

She looked down at her empty finger. It did make her whole body warm and... nice when she put it on before the quake happened. Good thing he told her this after everything. Ugh. "I'll- think about wearing it. Thanks."

Cal nodded and took a step back from her.

She saw now how incredibly broken he was and in a twisted way understood it. She probably felt a fraction of what he did and she wasn't acting entirely stable either. "Look, I-" she stopped when a strangled noise was heard of someone in pain. "What were you doing in the basement when I got here?" she demanded, already walking away towards the steps.

"Daisy, don't-"

Skye ignored him and practically ran down the steps to find a Hydra agent tied to a chair looking half dead already. His clothes were covered in red looking like none of his skin was left untouched from a knife; one of his eyeballs was even hanging out of the socket making her gag and he was begging to die as he wept. What had Cal done to him? "And to think I was just feeling sorry for you," she laughed sarcastically to herself.

"Please, Daisy, I have to-"

"My name is Skye," she said through gritted teeth while pulling her gun out. "And I want nothing more from you," she stated before aiming the gun at the man's head and pulling the trigger. It was a mercy killing because Cal sure as hell wasn't going to make it painless and he looked like nothing more than a foot soldier, he didn't know anything so Cal was torturing him for nothing.

"Why would you do that!?" Cal exploded, grabbing onto her arm angrily. "He could have known something! I am trying to avenge your mother's death!"

"You're a butcher!" Skye replied and ripped her arm away. "And if you touch me again I will shoot you too. Actually, if we cross paths again you might want to watch your back," she warned before running up the stairs. She had to get away from him, from his brand of crazy.

Cal was on her heels. "Skye, please, don't leave like this," he pleaded and grabbed her arm again.

Skye instantly backhanded him then took a protective stance. "Don't touch me. I got my information so I'm leaving. If you follow me I will shoot you, got that?"

"Why don't you just shoot me now then?" he questioned. "Is it because you can't kill your father, the man who helped give you life and even was the one to pull you from your mother's-"

"Don't!" Skye cut him off. "Don't go there and don't talk about her. You say you want to avenge her death and get vengeance, but would she want that?" she asked. "You speak of how wonderful she was, how she helped those in need and was your other half, but what would she say if she saw you right now? You butcher people, that man in the basement; he was just a Hydra foot soldier. He knew nothing. You tortured him for nothing, they won't care if he lives or dies; he meant nothing to them. You're a serial killer, don't you get that?"

He looked ashamed of himself. Good.

"I'm leaving now. Don't follow me, don't track me, don't do anything having to do with me," she ordered before walking out of the building and got into the unmarked SHIELD vehicle.

The truth was that she didn't know if she had it in her to really kill him, so threatening seemed like the next best bet and SHIELD taught her long ago to always hide weakness in front of the enemy. He may not exactly be an enemy, but he sure as hell wasn't a friend either.

At least she got what she needed out of him. Once she was back to the safety of the Bus she had a lot of thinking to do, but while she was still in the field safety had to be on the forefront of her mind. The sun was almost coming up so the team was likely to wake any minute now, hopefully the fact that she was on her way back would lessen their anger.

And that was the last thing she thought before a black SUV tore through the empty intersection and t-boned her, knocking her into unconsciousness.

-xoxo-

"C'mon, keep her up right, she might have a concussion. If she throws up on my shoes I'm going to put a bullet in you."

She was being dragged somewhere and her head was killing her. Just as she pried her eyes open she was plopped down in a chair and men where handcuffing her to it.

Hydra caused the accident. How long had she been out? Where did they take her?

"Are you feelin' alright, sweetheart?" a man asked her and she blinked up at him. The light was bright and her head was pounding. "You took a hit there, sorry about that. I got a little too excited to get ya, but hey, bygones, right?"

It took a minute but she recognized him although she'd never met him. John Garrett. Fuck. Were they tracking her because of Grant?

"I gotta say, when keeping tabs on the doc lead us to you I had to jump at the chance to see what was so special about you," he went on. He seemed very excited and it unnerved her, not that she would ever let that show.

Oh. They were tracking Cal and she led herself right to them. Great. May was going to be so pissed. She was more afraid of that than the man standing before her.

"I mean, I had to see what made my best skilled agent turn into a lovesick puppy," he went on. "I was actually a little impressed."

Skye got a hold of her bearings. "It's the boobs, ask him yourself. They're pretty great"

"Oh, don't worry, he'll answer any question I have," Garrett began. "He's very happy to comply now."

* * *

**Dun DUn DUN!  
****Has Grant been brainwashed?  
****Do you like my Cal/Skye reunion?  
****I read a fic about SkyeWard being soulmates and fell in love with it and wanted to incorporate it into this so hope you like it!**

**Sorry this chap is on the shorter side, but a lot happens, yeah?  
More about the soulbond-stuff will be expanded upon in the next chapter (and Skye's inner monologue).  
Let me know what you think! **

**-Kay**


	13. You Disappear and Make Me Wait

**Sorry to torture you guys with the cliffy, but I'm glad you liked it!  
(And I am making up for it, wink-wink)  
****You guys are always so nice to me :)**

**Q&amp;A:  
****Guest:** Remember Me is on the backburner, but I have not forgotten about it. I could just only choose one story to focus on with school also in the mix.  
**Aiswariya25:** I'm glad you liked how I did it, I was nervous how it would be taken.  
**Nina126: **I don't know when the next chapter will be out, I have none of this written beforehand. I don't start the next chapter until after I publish the chapter before it and that is right when I finish writing and editing it. There is no set schedule, when it's finished, edited, and I'm happy it goes out. Sorry.  
**Is Grant in this chapter? Read and find out!**

**Chapter 13**

* * *

John Garrett was a prick.

Skye only had to spend about an hour being 'tortured' to completely understand where May was coming from when she rolled her eyes every time the man was brought up. Okay, so she had yet to actually be really tortured, but listening to his horrible SHIELD stories that were totally embellished had to be considered some form of torture. Well, she had been slapped around a little, but she'd felt worse after training with May so that wasn't exactly a worry at the moment.

It was hour twenty-two, by her estimate, and she already had formulated an extraction plan for herself but had yet to put it into effect. There were other things on her mind like what did Garrett know about Coulson and where were his gaps with the whole T.A.H.I.T.I. thing? And what had he done to Grant? The Lethal Weapon was the first thing he brought up, but had yet to touch upon it again—a form of mental torture no doubt—so she knew he wanted to share, even if he was going to take a while to get there. She just hoped that her team wouldn't mess it up by coming too early.

They were freaking out, she knew this, but she also wished they could sense that she was fine and just needed some time. May was her S.O., she'd been trained to hold up under various forms of torture. Honestly, what Garrett had dished out so far, a few slaps and a bloody lip was nothing, kind of sad really. It also meant he had a big end-game, he was just gearing up and if he was going so slowly he had to have something more planned. Also it meant he wasn't scared of SHIELD coming just yet that was very good for her.

The most annoying part was that they weren't letting her sleep. Garrett had foot soldiers, her best guess was around level three, guarding her in a bleak room that was entirely too gray and had a mirror near the door Garrett kept going in and out of. It had to be a two-way so others were watching her. Now that she'd gotten involved with Grant Hydra knew who she was, or at least how important she was to go on a mission having to deal with him and pull it off. Hydra was curious about her and she liked that.

What she didn't like was that every time she drifted off she was given a zap with a Taser, it hurt but not horribly. It was just enough to wake her up and piss her the fuck off. She loved sleeping, this was just cruel. Sure, she'd been awake for almost thirty-six hours once on an op, but it was never willingly, it was for the job.

"Alright, kid," Garrett entered the room once more.

"Wait, let me guess," Skye replied grumpily. "I've seen this episode of _Law &amp; Order,_ you're going to order pizza and eat it front of me while my stomach growls, right? Isn't that the next step of this plan to break me?"

He chuckled and sat backwards on a chair in front of her. "You've got spunk, too bad I didn't get to you before good ole Phil. You could be a good addition to my team."

"Well I'm not a Nazi, so," she left it at that while flexing her fists inside the handcuffs. She could easily break her wrist to get out, but that was an in-case-of-emergency type deal.

"How did Phil find you?" Garrett asked. Oh, good cop time. He'd been switching on and off. "I thought I knew all of his tricks, but training someone from comms to be a specialist? That's new."

"We had similar interests," Skye answered. "I needed some information and he needed me to stop hacking SHIELD, it was a win-win," she told him. "You see, when A.C. spots a troubled youth he doesn't tear him down to build him back up as a bad guy, he actually tries to save him."

Garrett studied her before nodding. "I did save Grant; I taught him how to be a man."

"You taught him to be a murderer," Skye snapped. "You made him into a weapon to do your dirty work then made him feel indebted to you so you could make him think he had to save you." She felt her fingernails digging into her palms and knew she had to steady her heart rate. It was too early to start a quake, she needed more time.

FitzSimmons really had been helping her with the ability. They found out that with every quake caused she was the epicenter, so if she caused one here they would know where she was. Fitz would definitely be tracking that kind of stuff. But this was her only chance to get info on Grant or maybe even _see_ him. She had to take that chance. If she could get to him, if he wasn't brainwashed, she could take him back with her.

"I gotta say, it's nice to see that this whole lovey-dovey thing went both ways," Garrett mentioned. "You didn't just make him fall for you; you mucked it up yourself, didn't you? What did Coulson do when he found that out?"

"I had to clean the toilet." She rolled her eyes, Coulson wasn't like him. His punishments were mental or physical, and the fact that Garrett did punish Grant in that way made her see red.

"Was he your S.O.? You seem just like his type," he wondered with a creepy smile.

"Ew," Skye said with a shudder. "No, he wasn't my S.O., thank God. I could just imagine my training, a pop quiz on Captain America's likes and dislikes."

Garrett laughed at that. "I like you, kid."

"Sorry the feeling isn't mutual," she replied easily. "And don't even go on about making me comply. You think I don't know what that means?" His eyebrows rose. "It's kind of sad you have to brainwash people to follow you. How do you feel about that, Agent Garrett?" she questioned and crossed one leg over another professionally. "You enjoy being well-liked, don't you? So this whole brainwashing thing has to make you feel good, they _have_ to like you this way."

He looked her up and down a little too thoroughly. They'd stripped her layers, leaving her only in the black jeans and dark t-shirt underneath all her gear. Her beloved motorcycle boots had some scuffs on them from being dragged around while unconscious. Assholes.

"But I know what you're really after," Skye went on when he didn't respond. "All the shit you do, it's not for Hydra or their bigger picture. You could give one fuck about ruling the world or hailing anything. Well, actually, you might like helping rule the world if you knew you'd live long enough to see it."

Garrett backhanded her with his gun barrel. Hard. Good cop done then?

A gash opened on her cheek and she bit down. She spit the blood out off to the side. "SHIELD knows what you want and that you're desperate to know what saved Coulson." Her calm demeanor despite the new injury was only making him angrier.

"That's where you come in," he said, his tone very mono now that he was pissed off.

"Too bad I don't know anything," she insisted honestly. She didn't. Coulson knew something, May too, but she didn't know squat, especially since she went undercover.

"Is that so?"

She nodded. "Unlike you who spills his secrets to his protégé Coulson tends to keep that stuff to himself," she answered. "So no matter how much I would love to let Grant out of his debt, I don't know shit." Not that she would tell anyway, even then, but that didn't make for good conversation, did it?

"Sorry to tell you, pumpkin, but I don't think Grant wants out of his debt," Garrett started. Skye didn't respond, but wished she wasn't handcuffed to the chair so she could punch him right in the nose. "It took a while, but like I said, he's happy to comply now."

"Just like that? He messed up once and you brainwash him?" she questioned angrily.

"He didn't just mess up, darling, he fell in love," Garrett insisted. "He was beginning to think for himself, to think about the bigger picture and that wasn't what I intended him for."

"He's a person, Garrett!" Skye exclaimed. "He wasn't just some robot you could reprogram when he started acting up. He's allowed to have feelings and a plan for the future outside you and your pathetic plan to stay alive."

"That's where you're wrong. I did reprogram him and now your love affair is the farthest thing from his mind," Garrett told her proudly.

She just shook her head. It wasn't true. It couldn't be true. Her was her soulmate or whatever, that had to be stronger than the brainwashing, right?

There was a knock on the door. "I'll be right back."

Skye wouldn't show them she was rattled, she couldn't.

At first she hoped Garrett was playing the game when he insinuated that Grant had been brainwashed. He wouldn't brainwash his protégé, right? The guy who he had come to think of as a son, but now she wasn't sure. Was that the pain she felt weeks ago? Him being tortured and brainwashed? Garrett said it took a while so the time frame would make sense.

Did they brainwash him to completely forget about her or hate her or what? What if they used him to torture her? Fuck. That would definitely set off an earthquake, a big one.

Cal said they were connected, that he felt uncomfortable by their distance too, did he still feel that? Did the brainwashing negate the bond that had already been established? Everything was so fucking confusing. She didn't know to ask if that was possible.

For just one moment she let herself sniffle once with her head down.

The thought of him forgetting her made her want to cause a massive earthquake, but kept it together. She hadn't had the chance to process it yet, but she was an Inhuman, and whatever that meant it also was just a fancy label saying she wasn't really human. What if even without the brainwashing Grant thought that was disgusting and he didn't really want her, but the bond made him want her? It was like Stockholm syndrome or something. She wasn't even sure if she liked herself and she definitely didn't like where she came from, how could she expect him to?

Maybe with the brainwashing he could be normal, kind of. Maybe if she could get out of this situation and kill Garrett in the process then he would not have to be in Hydra anymore and be normal.

Gosh, when would Grant have the right to choose his own destiny? With Garrett he was the Lethal Weapon, indebted to a madman who was dying and even after he was saved, if he was saved, he still wouldn't let the highly skilled agent go. With her he was the soulmate to an Inhuman, practically forced to love her because of a bond that ran in her bloodlines or whatever. When would he be able to do what he wanted?

Because she had her head down and remained quiet her 'guard' started the Taser, ready to zap her awake.

She jerked her head up. "You touch me with that stick and I will break your fucking arm."

"Now it's a party," Garrett announced smiling, all ready to be good cop again.

"Isn't there anyone else I can talk to?" she groaned. There had to be someone else available to 'torture' her or something. But the thought quickly left her when she felt a shift, a change within her. And Garrett was happy about something, too happy.

Grant.

Her entire body began to shake with anticipation. He was close, very close. He was _there, here_. Her insides quivered and she inwardly rolled her eyes. Now was not the time for _that_ and her body needed to get its fucking head in the game. There would be time for that later, hopefully, maybe. Ugh.

"Hey, I'm talking to you," Garrett cut in and had her zapped with the Taser again.

But Skye kept looking at the two-way mirror. Grant was in there, she knew it, looking at her, and she blinked to stop herself from getting emotional. He was looking right at her, she could feel it. And it felt oddly _good_.

Garrett held the electrical stick to her bare neck making her shriek quickly before closing off her throat. What she couldn't stop was the small tremor that shook the floor, but to them it would only feel like a dumpster being dropped to the ground.

"Now, are you going to pay attention to me?" he asked, handing the Taser back to the guard. No one noticed the quake, probably thought that it was some Hydra toy that fell. They'd raided the fridge so they had all the fun toys, some of them quite large, it was plausible.

"What?" she snapped in a huff. "What do you want? I don't know what saved Coulson, I don't know how to save you, and trust me if I did I would tell you that I knew just to piss you off because you're a fucking asshole." Everything was beginning to hit her at once, the tiredness, hunger, Grant actually being in the vicinity.

"How do you know the doctor?" he questioned, completely unfazed.

Skye bent her neck to throw her hair away from the new burn mark. That was going to scar, even with Simmons' miracle ointments. "Probably the same way you do. He's a psychopath who likes butchering people; you think SHIELD doesn't look into that?"

Garrett nodded, but wasn't reverting back to good cop just yet. "Why hasn't SHIELD taken care of him then? You left him there alive but you put a bullet in our guy's head when we know that the good doctor usually keeps them alive much longer."

"Yeah, it was a mercy killing because I'm a good person and he's crazy. You're welcome," she replied while looking to the two-way mirror. Her gut was twisting—Grant wasn't happy about something. She wished he wasn't happy with Garrett and not the sight of her from the brainwashing. The fact that it could be either, and she didn't know which, was killing her.

"Why didn't you put a bullet in him?"

"Why don't you?" Skye countered. The team would be coming now if the quake was big enough to register and Fitz would be looking for anything. "I mean, he is kidnapping and torturing your guys. Why aren't you taking the fight to him instead of talking to me about it? Afraid of him, are we?"

Garrett grinned. "We just have a bigger picture is all."

She didn't respond, but wanted to say that if Cal knew she was here he'd be taking his crazy up a notch. The thought of Cal ripping into Garrett wasn't a horrible one.

"Now, let's get back to your precious Director Coulson," he insisted after her silence was answer enough for him.

Skye ignored him. Her neck burned, muscles ached, eyes were heavy, stomach was empty, and her body was itching to go wrap itself around Grant's—and she didn't even know if he knew who she was or still loved her. The team was coming, she had to get free from the chair or Grant in the room, there wasn't much time left.

"Do you want the Taser again? Huh?" Garrett took the stick from the foot soldier again and sparked it.

He's in a rush now—something is happening. "Why, does it excite you?" she asked sarcastically.

"You wanna know what excites me?" he responded, pushing the stick back to the foot soldier and approached her, pulling his chair with him and turned it around so he could sit correctly in front of her.

"Not particularly," she mumbled and he just grinned.

"Living excites me," he stated, wagging his eyebrows. "And I want to live, Skye." His hand rested on her knee and began to slowly climb.

A feeling of deep hatred rose from her stomach to her head and made her flush, but most of it wasn't her. It was Grant, she could feel it. Now that she knew about the bond it was easier to navigate. Grant cared one way or another and that had to mean something.

Quickly she used the leg he was touching to smack his hand away, then used the other to kick him across the face, making him fall to the ground. "Don't fucking touch me."

"May was your S.O., huh?" Garrett asked as he got up and shook the kick off. He took a knife from his thigh holster and brought it down into the thigh he had been touching.

She cried out and the room began to shake, but before it could out of hand she managed to stop it. Had it gotten any bigger she probably wouldn't have been able to.

"Yep, definitely May." He left the knife there and looked around at the room that was suddenly still, confused. "What the hell was that?"

She watched as blood oozed out of her thigh and she focused on her heart rate. Then there was a boom that shook the compound and it was _not_ her. SHIELD.

"What the hell was that?" Garrett asked again before leaving the room, his walk resembling a child stomping away.

Skye sat in the metal chair defeated. SHIELD would be there in ten minutes tops. Grant was so close and she couldn't touch him, and all she wanted to do was see him, smell his cologne, _anything_ before they got there. She needed to know how the brainwashing worked, if they were still bonded, whatever that meant.

The door opened and she looked up and blinked numerous times.

Grant was walking toward her, his jeans dark, his shirt darker, and tucked in a little in the front to show off his belt buckle. He had scruff on his face and a cut on his cheek, but to her he was beautiful, really a glorious sight.

For a second she thought it was a dream until he stopped in front of her, kicking Garrett's metal chair out of the way. She looked up at him and shuddered involuntarily. He looked emotionless, different, but that wasn't the reason she shuddered. Her body was happy, relieved. "Grant," she murmured in a sniffle.

He looked away and nodded to the guard next to her and held his hand out for the Taser stick. Was he here to finish her off? No! Killing her would destroy him, just like her father, and she wouldn't let that happen, not if the bond was still intact and she didn't know if it was yet. On her end it definitely was.

The Taser sparked in his hand, the level turned on high, and he stepped closer. Then, in a split second he elbowed one of the guards in the nose so hard the kid fell to the ground in a lump and then used the Taser on the other until he blacked out. Grant then took the Taser to the man with the bloody nose to make sure he lost consciousness too then dropped it.

"Skye." He fell to his knees and reached around her to undo the handcuffs.

"Grant," she cried and latched herself onto him, her arms tight around his neck. He remembered her! He saved her. "H-He said you were happy to comply and brainwashed and-"

"I know, I know." Grant peeled himself off of her. "We don't have much time, SHIELD is here for you. They're trying to get in now. John's heading the team to fend them off."

"How do you- he said," she stopped and he wiped the tear tracks from her cheeks. There were other important things to attend to—the field team could handle themselves. "You're not brainwashed?"

He shook his head and held her cheeks. "I'm supposed to be, but it didn't work."

"H-How?" she stuttered, ignoring her body's wish to do more. She really needed to get a control on that.

"I don't know, it just didn't. So I've been acting like it did, I've seen it done enough times," he told her and then began to examine her knife wound. "I can't take this out, he may have hit an artery and you could bleed out. Do you think you can you walk?" he asked after ripping off the bottom of his shirt to tie off her thigh.

He then helped her up and instantly her leg gave out. "No."

"Alright, come on," he urged, wrapping her arm around his neck and took on so much of her weight her good leg didn't have much on it. "We have to get you to your team. You're almost done, baby."

There was no one in the hall that he led her down. For once she kept quiet and was just happy he was there, touching her, and knew who she was, but they had so much to talk about and literally zero time. "Grant, we-"

He turned them down a new hallway right as someone else came from the other end. Grant pushed her into a supply closet and she fell to the floor in pain. The knife in her leg hit off the door jam.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Grant apologized hastily. "They can't see me with you. I disabled the cameras before I came to watch you and Garrett. He wanted me here to watch, but I had to be flown in. He's weary of my brainwashing since it took so long, it would have been a record if it actually worked."

"Why can't you come with me?" Skye asked, her hands cupping his face. "You know I love you and I know you love me. I have so much to tell you and- SHIELD will take you, they have to or they'll lose me."

He pulled her hand from his cheek and kissed her palm. "I can't. Not yet."

"You still want to save him?" she demanded and he rested his forehead on hers. "He just tortured me; I have a knife in my leg. I felt- I know you were pissed off when he touched my thigh. Tell me I'm more important than him, Grant, please."

"Skye, you are, but I can't," he rasped. "I love you, I do, more than anything, but I- please, just give me some time."

A boom shook the building again. They didn't have long, maybe a few minutes.

"Grant, we don't have time. I have to tell you so much, I know things and," she stopped when he helped her back up.

"Your team is close, we just have to get you in their sights and you'll be safe," he changed the subject. "I don't care what happens to me as long as you're safe."

"Grant!" she exclaimed, pulling on his hand and made him look at her, at the tears in her eyes. "Please come with me. I need you, I-" The room started shaking, this time because of her. "No! No, no, no, not now," she cried to herself and stumbled back until she was against the wall and slid down it.

"Skye, what's going on?" Grant questioned, shielding her from falling debris in the room.

She looked up and stopped the tears. "Please come with me, I need you." When he didn't respond she just sniffled and wiped her nose with her arm, very attractively.

"We have to get you out of here," he mumbled and brought her to her feet with him. He opened the door and took helped her through it, her arm over his neck again.

The floor now was littered with bodies. The team was successful in getting to her and she still had so much to say, but was speechless too. Didn't he want her? What was wrong?

"Okay, once we spot them you're gonna have to act like we're in a fight and knock me out or something," Grant began as he navigated their way.

"It's quite the stage play you're directing there, Ward," she muttered.

"Skye," he began but then they both heard Trip's voice. He must have known it was one of her people because he backed her against the wall and had a hand to her throat, but it was only meant to look menacing, in reality it was just lying there.

Trip rounded the corner over his shoulder. "Grant, please, just come and- ah!" she cried out when he removed the knife from her thigh and acted as if he was to use it against her before he fell to the floor.

Trip hit him with an ICER and came running for her. "You alright, baby girl?"

She held a hand to her wound, but didn't answer as she began to feel dreary. Garrett didn't hit an artery, but now she was losing blood faster.

"Let's get you out of here. C'mon." Trip gathered her into his arms.

Skye just watched Grant's limp body on the ground where she once stood with eyes full of tears.

Why didn't he want her?

* * *

**Alright. I wanted to do the Skye/Grant reunion better...it feels rushed but in their reality they were only reunited for about 10 minutes.  
Sorry, not instant gratification for you, but at least he's in this chapter, right?  
**

**The aftermath of the torture and reunion up next.  
****Let me know what you think please!**

**Thanks.  
****-Kay**


	14. I'd Bet The Odds Against It All

**As always thanks for everything guys!  
****I love that you read my Author's Notes and respond to them too. You're awesome-sauce.**

**Sorry this took so long. Europe is tiring and my sleep schedule is all messed up.  
Now that it is out I will be deleting the Author's Note chapter before this.**  
**If you don't know what I mean than ignore this. Hah.**

**It's short and a filler, but hey we need fillers sometimes, right?  
Review please, I've had a horrible past couple days.**

**Chapter 14**

* * *

She just needed time—time alone, time to think, time to wonder, and all anyone did was hover. It was so annoying.

Yes, she'd been in a car accident, kidnapped, and tortured, but that were the types of things she was trained for. It really wasn't a big deal—she'd kept her head and controlled the quakes, what more did they want?

Well, they wanted answers. Why did she go out on her own, what did she find out, how did she get to Trip, what happened? The list went on and on.

Debrief was more torture than what Garrett had done. She'd been held by Hydra for almost thirty hours (her estimates were a little off) and Coulson wanted to know every little morsel of what occurred. The problem was nothing had really happened, all Hydra had were questions and weird open-ended answers of their own. Skye personally felt that the whole thing was orchestrated by Garrett once he had eyes on her to see how Grant reacted to her. It was smart since the brainwashing didn't work.

Everyone had been so happy she was okay that sneaking off got little attention, especially once she was medically cleared to go back to normal living quarters. The burn mark was almost non-existent and the stab wound was healing so fast Simmons was speechless. It was suspected it had to do with her 'change' and now being Inhuman. Of course, that only meant that Skye was poked and prodded or generally feeling like a guinea pig. Still, she was ordered to keep as much weight off the leg as possible.

Coulson and May had been told what she learned—she was now considered an Inhuman, but didn't know what that exactly meant. They had shared with the field team (with her permission), meaning FitzSimmons, Trip, Hunter, Bobbi, and Mack.

She left the part about the bond out.

It just felt too personal to share, especially since Grant didn't even know about it. Plus, it just felt _wrong_ to talk about it with someone who didn't know what it was or have the connection too. It felt like watching a very embarrassing situation, how you want to look away even if it's something on TV—just thinking about telling them about the bond felt like that.

Maybe that was part of the bond, it was awkward to talk about if you didn't share it, but she couldn't ask now—she never wanted to see him again. Her father was a monster, pursing vengeance at all costs but the cost it took on her mother's memory hurt the most.

He said it was doing it all for her but from everything she'd learned about her mother, how beautiful and kind and loving she was, it didn't seem like she would want it and that was what hurt the most. The man her father had become, it was not the man her mother loved, and that was in part because of the bond. He went crazy without his other half to balance him.

Skye didn't want to get to know the man her mother wouldn't love, but she would have liked to know the man her mother did love although that wasn't an option anymore. Upon returning to her room she put her mother's ring on. It was calming, warm, familiar.

SHIELD was her family, that was true, but she was interested in her biological family too, more so her mother than anything. One of her new personal missions was to research her mother, but some things had to come first.

Grant.

Since he really wasn't brainwashed she needed to get in contact and tell him about the bond, but that had to happen face to face. There was no other way to do it, it was all or nothing, just like how their relationship started.

It was kind of funny, really. Their relationship never made sense,_she_ never made since. She had never been afraid of him like the others were. From the beginning she was more afraid _for_ him than anything. There was an instant attachment from the moment first spoke to the moment they kissed—it was different. It made sense now that she knew of the bond. They were meant to be together.

For someone who was never meant to be anywhere before it felt really nice to belong somewhere. And SHIELD didn't count, yes she belonged there but with Grant it was different. It wasn't something she was put into or fell into, it was meant for her. This was part of her destiny.

She had to find a way to contact him and in order to do that she needed time. She needed time alone with her laptop to try and figure something out but everyone kept checking in on her every half an hour on the hour and it was annoying.

Yes, she'd been kidnapped and tortured but she was fine and they had to realize that. It was things like that she was trained for. She was not trained for finding a soulmate however. That took time to figure out. If only there was a section titled "What to do in case of finding your soulmate" then at least there would be protocol to follow. Protocol. She was turning into May.

Well, actually, she did know what to do; it was how to go about doing it that was hard. She had to get in contact with him but how? It wasn't like she could mail him a letter or shoot him a text or- Skye sat up in bed.

A text.

In an instant she dove into the boxes of things that had been brought from the undercover apartment. The boys didn't know all of what she would want so they kind of threw everything haphazardly into boxes for her to sort through. And she'd hardly been through them because it was all stripper clothes or things that reminded her of Grant or smelled like him and- it was just too hard, especially with the bond gnawing at her insides.

At the bottom of the third one it was there—the satellite phone Grant had given her to contact him when he was on missions. She had totally forgotten about it and didn't even know it had made the trip to HQ but it did. Thank God it did.

Once turned on it instantly blew up with messages. They weren't from the number she had known him under, actually the messages were from a variety of numbers and they weren't exactly messages. They were coordinates, latitude and longitude. He would.

Grant was sending locations but were they his locations or Hydra intel or what? What exactly was he trying to tell her?

Immediately she was back at her computer typing them in see what Grant had her looking into. The latest message was only over a day old. He didn't know if she was getting the messages, but he was hoping it seemed and she liked that. The last location was a seedy-seeming motel in Montana (the seedy-seeming motel knowledge came from a closer look thanks to Google).

There were two new problems with this new information. One, were the messages from him? For all she knew it could be a trap, but with him not being brainwashed who knew? But he told her to leave before when she was giving him the perfect opportunity to go with her. Still, it felt like they were from him and she desperately wanted to hold onto that. Two, the message was over twenty-four hours old so would he still be there, what was the window she was working with? Okay there were three problems—how would she get away alone to meet him?

After being kidnapped and tortured she was barely being left alone for more than an hour when she wasn't sleeping, how was she going to sneak away for a few days without them calling in the Cavalry, literally, to track her down?

She needed to let him know she was getting the messages and trying to get to him if he was still there. Getting out of the Canadian wilderness without detection was hard enough (and there was the issue of transportation), but to stay gone for an extended period of time with no one finding her? She was good and did learn from the Cavalry, but she was not better than her- and the minute she thought she was better she would still have more to learn then.

With fumbling fingers she sent a text back of '_coordinates still in use?' _because if he was using her number as some sort of cover and lying about the true origin, which was likely, she couldn't blow it for him.

Nothing could be easy, could it?

Just as she felt herself getting so frustrated a small earthquake was likely to happen there was a knock on the door.

Phone in hand she marched to the door and threw it open. "I'm fine."

Fitz's eyes opened wide. "I- okay."

Guilt filled her. Fitz was like a barely-older brother with the innocence of a kitten. You can't just be mean to him, he always means well. "Sorry, I just- everyone is always hovering and asking how I am and- I am fine, I promise." Trying to stay off her leg because Simmons would yell that she didn't use the crutch to answer the door she hobbled back to the bed. "It would just be nice to be left alone for a while, you know?"

Fitz followed her in to the room. "I think they think too much time alone wouldn't be the best, yeah?"

"Have you felt an earthquake?" she countered grumpily. "I didn't even set off an earthquake when I was being tortured or whatever. I'm doing better, I have slip-ups, but I'm learning. I just need time and space and-" _Grant. _"I know I messed up and I keep messing up but it's for things I believe in and- you can trust me."

"I do trust you, Skye," Fitz insisted and sat down next to her. "And I know they do too when it comes down to it, but you're going through a lot and I don't think they quite understand."

"I don't quite understand," Skye mumbled. "I just need time and space, I don't know." She needed Grant; it was as simple as that.

Fitz was quiet for a moment. "This whole thing is just new territory, Skye, that's all and no one wants to make you feel... rejected," he told her. "Maybe that isn't the right word. We just don't think any less of you because of the things you've done, at least I know I don't, but I hope I can speak for the others when I say that you're no less an agent than you ever were."

Skye smiled and bumped shoulders. "Thanks Fitz and I hope you're right."

"If you need time like you say I'll tell everyone to back off a bit," he insisted. "Well, besides May and Simmons, they scare me."

"May scares everyone and when Simmons is on a medical kick get out of the way," she replied. "But I think you're safe. I am medically cleared."

Fitz stood and looked around awkwardly. "Skye, I- I don't mean to be rude but how did you know you- that you and Gr, er, War- I mean-"

"Are you asking how do I know I love Grant or how do I know it's real between us?"

"Both, I think."

Skye nodded. "I know I love him because I care more about him than I do myself. During the mission I made sure to do my job, but it became about more than that—it became a way to save him because I knew he was good. Garrett used him for evil things, but he isn't like that. Grant is good at heart; it just takes a lot to see it, or rather for him to let you see it. I know he loves me because-" she stopped and bit her lip. "This is going to sound weird but when we were undercover he never let me dance for anyone or any of the guys touch me. I never even gave a real lap dance. He cared, and that was what drew me in. He didn't even know why he cared, he told me that himself. He was always honest with me and I loved that. Sorry, I'm getting off topic."

"You're fine," Fitz insisted, a small smile playing on his lips.

"I know it was real because he wanted to make a life with me after he paid his debt to Garrett, which was never going to happen, but still," she went on. "And during my extraction I dared him to shoot me. I held his gun to my head and told him to shoot if he didn't care, if he didn't love me, and he couldn't do it. He was lowering his gun when Bobbi shot him. He could have come with me, he would have." Skye visibly swallowed. Would he have come? Why was he fighting so hard to stay Hydra?

"I'm sorry everything is so difficult for you," Fitz murmured. "It's not fair."

Skye nodded. "I know, thanks, but I'm figuring it out. I just need time."

He turned for the door again. "Yeah, I'll tell them to back off, whether they will listen is unknown."

"Fitz," Skye stopped him as he opened the door. "Thanks for listening and not- thanks for not telling me I'm wrong or stupid, I don't know."

"You're not wrong and you're definitely not stupid, Skye," he assured her. "You're just... Skye. You do things your way, that's all. And we love you for it; I just think they've forgotten that part."

She smiled. "Thanks. Oh, and Fitz," she stopped him before he could walk out. "Simmons loves you in more ways than one; I just don't think she's quite there yet. Just give her time too. You know her, she doesn't like change."

The rocket scientist turned pink. "I- um, yeah, I-"

Skye hobbled over to him and kissed his cheek. "You're the best Fitz and I love you, I want you to know that. I don't think I've ever said it."

"Well, uh, you're not too bad yourself," he mumbled back quickly. "And I love you too no matter what you call yourself—human, Inhuman, alien, I don't care. To me you're just Skye."

She just smiled back at him as he left. Any more cutesy talk and she was sure he would implode of embarrassment.

Just then the door opened up a bit. "As long as you don't call yourself a monkey-hater. That's not alright."

She shook her head. "I will always vote in favor of you getting a monkey, Fitz."

Fitz nodded and smiled like he won an argument before finally leaving once more.

With a lighter heart she made her way back to the bed and took the phone out from underneath the pillow. There was a message.

_36 hours until coordinates change._

He was still in Montana for whatever reason. The thought made her stomach flip.

She had to make sure it was him and not Garrett. What would he know that no one else would? What would be a way to ask him without blowing anything? The answer in her mind was so May she rolled her eyes.

_Confirm identity._

Hey, whatever works, right? It was only a moment before the phone vibrated with a response and the words made her smile so wide her face could have cracked.

_Yippee-ki-yay motherfucker._

Yeah, it was definitely Grant on the other end and she was getting to him before that 36 hours was up, she had to.

x-o-x-o

The plan was faulty at best. No, it was just an overall bad plan, but it was all she could come up with in an hour or so because she didn't want to waste any more time. There were only 36 hours to work with after all.

So the plan was simple: hack into the security system and let herself out before the doors automatically re-closed and locked everyone back in. It wasn't winter so it wasn't the worst plan, but as far as plans went it was pretty bad.

It would take a little less than three hours to reach civilization and once there she had to acquire transportation, fast transportation, to make it to Montana. And she did, as luck would have it there was a train leaving within the hour with the town she needed as one of its stops on the way to its final destination. All she had to do was keep a low profile and stay out of sight and it would go off with a hitch.

SHIELD couldn't find her or Hydra either for that matter.

She knew Grant was at the other end of the messages, but was aware that it could all be a trap if Garrett figured out that Grant wasn't really brainwashed so she had to be prepared. Travelling with weapons wasn't the best way to go, but she didn't have another option—they were a must.

In her defense she did leave a note—she'd slipped it under poor Fitz's door, but where else was there to put it? Under May or Coulson's door or on the fridge? At least by giving it to Fitz she'd have a little more time on her own because he'd freak out a bit before handing it over. Besides, they wouldn't blame him. She'd specifically said in the note it wasn't about any of them but there was something she had to do and she'd be back in a few days.

In the back of her mind she wondered how many times she could mess up before they'd give up on her. She hoped at least one or two more times. Family got many chances, right? Not that she knew that from experience really. Still.

Her plan did have another flaw (well, it had a lot of flaws, but this one was big). Once she got to the motel in Montana (which she did, but it took twelve hours since finding out everything) how did she find Grant specifically? It wasn't like he left a room number or anything.

Keeping to the shadows Skye pulled out the sat phone and made sure to be aware of her surroundings. Nothing seemed out of sort and she'd scanned multiple times.

_I'm here._

What if he wasn't there? He had to of been in Montana for a reason, he could be out for that reason or-

_117_

His response was quick, that was good right?

Her feet moved while her brain fought to keep up. As she got closer to the room her body felt _good_ and she knew he was close, very close.

Right as she reached the door it opened and a hand shot out to grab her before the door closed roughly behind her.

* * *

**Is this evil? I can't tell. Sorry.  
It's a filler, but at least it's out, right? Hey, we always need fillers.**

**The next one will be out MUCH QUICKER - like this week sometime.  
I am excited to write the next chapter so if we're lucky VERY SOON.**

**Review please, you're all wonderful.**

**\- Kay**


	15. Breathless Moments

**Thanks for everything as always everyone!  
And you're right, I am evil, but had I went on it would have been a 10,000 word chapter and you wouldn't have gotten it for another week on top of the wait before that so I figured I'd be the bad guy to give you guys something, you know? **

**PLEASE READ THIS:**  
**Look, I understand it gets frustrating when I say a chapter will be out soon(ish) and it doesn't exactly happen. I say that when I have an idea of what is going to happen in the next chapter in mind and am excited to write it, which is often. I don't think you all understand that I am in school full-time, working part-time, and am writing a novella with my professor in order to graduate which takes time and it's being graded so it takes priority. That has to come first or I don't graduate in May.  
I write fanfiction because I want to, because I think it's fun, not because I have to. And I am writing this because I have gotten many rude reviews and PMs from my not posting this soon enough in _some_ readers eyes. I understand you're frustrated but being mean to me isn't going to make me write any faster, it actually just makes me upset and turned off of writing this...which is why it took so long.  
So please just realize I have other things going on in my life and this isn't my top priority. I do this for fun, not to be criticized for not updating frequently enough for some people. I know when I first started it I updated a lot but that was because I was on break from school.  
This is not addressed to everyone, but it is to the anons who sent me PMs and rude reviews.  
For those who have stood behind me and understand that sometimes life takes over- thank you. This is for you.**

**Here's an extra long one because of the wait.  
Chapter 15  
(Remember this fic is rated M)**

* * *

Gun in hand Grant held her against the wall, eyes wide and chest heaving at the sight of her.

"Are you alone?" his tone was hard yet pleading.

She just nodded in response, unable to do or say anything else, and with a click of the gun to safety it was dropped as his lips crashed onto hers. Her mouth emitted a squeak in response (because she was just that awkward) and he smiled and cupped her cheekbones with his hands.

Ugh, something about him doing that made her turn to mush, it was stupid but very true. Her hands held onto the sides of his shirt as she got up on tip toes to reach him more easily. He was so tall and never seemed to bend enough. It was annoying.

Their kiss was demanding and hard, just what she needed, what her body needed. They didn't have time for soft and slow, at least it didn't feel like it.

24 hours. That was all they had now until God knows when and they had so much to talk about. There could be less if something were to happen.

Just then he reached under her bum to pick her up and bring her to the bed (she knew he was heading there and God did she want him to) her brain caught up to the situation. He had to know before they were together like that again.

"No, no." She pushed him away and since she was off the floor she stumbled to regain her bearings.

"Skye, what's wrong, I-" he stopped when she moved away as he tried to come closer. "Skye, we're safe here for now. Please believe me."

She shook her head. "It's not that, I just- you have to know things that I know and that has to wait because," she stopped and sat on the bed. All she wanted to do was make love to him, her body needed it. Being in such close proximity was not easy, not on her end, and maybe not on his. "Just give me a minute." Not touching him while so close almost made her want to start a quake, but she couldn't. If she did SHIELD would find them within the hour and ruin everything.

No. They had 24 hours and she was not going to mess that up like everything else.

"Skye I can't just stand here and not, not- I need to," he stopped and began to pace. He felt it too and that made her feel horrible. It wasn't fair for him to be in pain too.

"How did you feel when we were apart? Was it... did you just miss me or was it more or?" she left it open and looked up at him.

"Yeah I missed you," he answered while running a hand through his hair. "I love you and I know you weren't just with me because of the job or whatever. It was hard to be away from you, I don't know. I've never really missed anyone before. What do you want me to say?" He looked like he was itching to touch her, just like she was with him.

It was so unfair. This bond was her fault, she should be the one to feel the repercussions not him. He never got to choose anything for himself and that broke her heart a little.

"When I was being tortured did you feel anything?"

"Yes, Skye, I was pissed, okay?" He was agitated, so was she, but they had to do this before _that_. He needed to know. "I saw John touch you and-" His hand formed into a fist. "I'm not allowed to react or have emotions, but I wanted to- I don't know. They think I'm brainwashed, I'm only to think of Hydra. My turn, why can't I touch you?"

She softened. Her pain was her problem, but to cause him pain too? She would try to alleviate that. "Come here." He just about fell onto the bed next to her and she wrapped arms around him, bringing him in close. He buried his head in her neck and took a deep breath. They both felt some of the need pass. "I'm sorry. I'm just trying to make sense of this."

"What do you have to tell me?" he murmured against skin. "You're scared about whatever it is, I know it, but don't be. There is nothing you can say that will stop this. Didn't you tell me something like that once?"

Not fair, he wasn't allowed to use her own stuff against her. She pulled away, but moved so her legs were in his lap and their hands were laced. "I hate that I dragged you into all of this. I never wanted this for you. I'm so sorry."

"Stop apologizing and just tell me what's going on."

All she thought about was getting to him, telling him, but she never thought about _how_ to tell him. Smart, right? "You see this?" She stretched the pointer finger that held her mother's ring.

His own fingers swirled over it. "It's pretty. It's simple. I like it."

"It was my mother's. My father gave it to me."

"I thought your dad was crazy or something," he mumbled.

Skye nodded. "He is. Um, a few months ago he gave me this ring and said it was my right to have it. You can consider it a family heirloom, I guess. When I put it on, um," she stopped and blinked her eyes to keep them from welling. "I changed. I knew I changed instantly, but I had questions after and I went to see him and ask what was wrong with me. After I got what I needed from him I left and that was when Garrett caused the accident."

Grant looked her in the eye. "The doctor is your-" he stopped when she just nodded. "But he's... I mean, he's crazy, but he's also-"

"He's a lab experiment gone wrong, I know," Skye cut him off. "I don't care about him, but I needed to know about my mother. I'm different because of her and now, well, my relationship with you is different too because of that."

"What do you mean?"

"Grant, you could barely keep yourself together when I got here and needed to be touching me, don't you think that's weird?" she questioned. "You instantly took a liking to me and you don't like anyone. You missed me after just knowing me a few days. You're in love with me. You don't find any of that weird?"

"I've never been in love before so I don't know how it all works. I don't know what's weird or not. What are you trying to tell me? Is something wrong with me?"

Skye removed herself from him and stood. "No, Grant, nothing is wrong with you. Everything is wrong with me and because of me you-" she stopped and squeezed her eyes shut. "Remember when you held the Berserker Staff and I felt pain and we didn't know what it was?" Grant nodded, reaching a hand out for her. She took it, but not for herself. It was for him because she knew he needed it. "I felt your pain, you're just better at hiding it than I am. Or at least, you'd held the staff before and knew how to handle it. That pain was me feeling your dark places too."

"What? Skye, that doesn't make sense," he insisted and stood with her. "You couldn't have felt...you shouldn't have had to feel _that_."

"_I_ don't make sense, Grant. I'm not even human!" she exclaimed and ripped their hands apart. "That was what I was asking Cal about before Garrett grabbed me. I felt you being brainwashed, I set off a-" She wasn't ready to share that yet. Soon, but not yet. "I felt it and it was horrible. And I've missed you so much I was coming apart at the seams. I've literally been yearning for you because we share this weird bond and I didn't know it was even possible or I never would have accepted the job to spy on you because now I've dragged you into something I can't get you out of."

"Skye, calm down," he urged and pulled her into his arms.

She didn't have the strength to fight it anymore and fell into them. Besides, she _did_ have to calm down or an earthquake was going to occur.

"You didn't drag me into anything and if you did it's nothing I even want to get out of. I love you, okay? I love you and I would never change that. I don't care how it happened."

"You had no choice. It's this bond, you had to love me. It's not fair." She blinked to keep from crying. "Now you're stuck with me for life. You have no choice. You never get your own choice for anything and I hate that."

"The fact that you feel that way just shows this is right between us," he murmured into her hairline. They were both quiet for a long moment. "Look, I don't fully understand what is going on with you right now and I won't pretend to. I'm also not going to make empty promises and say things I know you want to hear because that wouldn't be right. I'm going to be honest with you."

Skye sniffled into his shirt.

"I know that I don't care why we're together or how it even happened. I know I love you and whatever brought us together it has to be good because I have you now and you're everything I've ever been searching for but didn't know it," he told her softly. "And since we're being honest I should tell you that I'm not good at this stuff and we probably only have another minute before I say something to mess it up."

She smiled a little. "You could never. That's my job. I'm the one that went undercover to spy on you, got you shot, brainwashed-ish, and telling lies or whatever else, I don't even know. I'm so sorry about everything I've done to disrupt your life."

"Stop," Grant ordered. "Stop thinking so low of yourself. I don't care if you're Inhuman or Unhuman or the Walking Dead. You're Skye and that's all that matters to me."

"Grant Ward! Did you just make an entertainment reference?" she asked, her eyes wide with surprise.

He shrugged casually. "The guys watch it on downtime and sometimes around. I don't live under a rock completely," he defended.

Skye tried not to laugh. "Just a cave. But I really don't want to be a zombie."

"What if we were weird zombie lovers? I'm sure there is a movie somewhere about that you just have to make me watch now," he teased.

"Actually..." she trailed off and laughed. "So you've missed my forced movie nights and cuddling and-"

He cut her off with a kiss. "I miss surprise office visits and ditching work to take odd Walmart trips and you're the only woman I know who will try any food once like me so we can go to a new place every night," he murmured against her lips. "I've missed everything about you and I gotta say that I am going to miss your work attire too."

Skye shook her head and swatted at his shoulder. "No matter how cute you're being we still have more to talk about; there is more for you to know."

"Can't we figure everything out later?" he questioned, trying not to let his slight agitation show. "I told you it doesn't matter to me."

"Grant you have to understand what this bond means. Actually, I don't even think I know everything it means, but- it's not normal," she tried to explain. "I can feel what you're feeling. Well, in extreme cases and when you're close. Do you have any idea how many times I've masterba-" she coughed as his eyebrows lifted. "It's a... side effect. Say nothing about it, I'm warning you." He held his hands up in surrender. "We're linked, Grant, not just by vows or promises like regular people. We're physically linked and there is no way to reverse it."

"You say it like I want it reversed," he replied. "Skye, this bond thing...isn't it just a sign that we should be together, that this is right?"

"Or it's just another reminder that I'm not human and so incredibly different. I'm not norm-"

"Stop it. Stop saying you're not normal and not human. We're not normal, Skye. I'm a trained killer. I survived brainwashing with my mind intact. I'm being told by the woman I love that we share this bond and that you can feel what I do. If you're not normal I'm not normal, so stop worrying about it. We can be weird and not normal together."

She huffed, but decided it was a battle for another day. "My parents had the bond, Grant," she whispered. "My dad...he was norm- er, he was a regular guy once. He was a regular doctor who fell in love with a Chinese girl while doing a doctor's without borders type stint in China. Like us it was an instant thing only she knew how to navigate it. They were married and they had me and they were happy."

"Yeah?" he murmured as the corners of his mouth ticked up in a small smile.

"My mom, she was special too, but she was killed by Daniel Whitehall for being special," she went on and his jaw clenched, any trace of the smile gone. "Having the bond and losing the other half changes you. You're no longer you. You're less than half; you're changed for the worst. My dad... he is who he is because he lost her. That could happen to you if I- you wouldn't be you, you'd be a shell of you and unrecognizable. Do you see now why I'm so worried about this? If anything happened to me-"

"Hey, it works both ways, baby," he cut her off. "So I guess we'll just have to make sure nothing happens to either of us, huh?"

"Ugh, stop being so good about this!" Skye exclaimed, breaking from his hold angrily. "You should be freaked out and- I don't know, something! I am. I hate myself and-"

"No, Skye, you stop." He took her by the shoulders. "There is nothing wrong with you, you're just different and I could care less what you call yourself, Inhuman or Unhuman or whatever the fuck else. I don't care what title is put on you. I just need you here with me because I have hated myself all of my life and the only time I ever was able to live with all the things I've done is when you walked up to me and called me James Bond, okay?"

She smirked, but made no further comment.

"Stop being so hard on yourself because I can promise you for every bad thing you can list off about yourself I can tell you something worse I've done. If you wanna play that game I will and trust me I will win every time," he warned with dark eyes.

Her eyes left his, but didn't move otherwise. "I don't want to play that game. That's not who you really are."

"You're helping me see that and if you want to keep doing that for me let me do the same for you. Yeah, you're different, but you're still Skye and that's what matters. We can figure the rest out together," he insisted.

"On the inside I'm-" she stopped and took in a deep breath. "I told you I changed when my father gave me this ring. Well, I did, and that's why I can't just consider myself human. It's not some title I'm putting on myself because of some faith I believe in—it's what I am now. Being special is in my blood and I don't know exactly what that means, but when I put this ring on," she held it up for him. "It activated my...powers and triggered a massive earthquake. I cause earthquakes when I'm upset and-" she stopped again.

He didn't say anything for a moment. "Back at the compound when I told you I was staying with Hydra and that earthquake came out of nowhere..."

Skye nodded in response. "I was upset. It happened when they extracted me too. That one was actually the biggest I've caused. I can control the little ones, Grant, but when I'm really upset anything can happen. I've had to be sedated; I even used an ICER on myself before. Don't you see what I got you involved in? You're in love with an Inhuman that causes earthquakes and, and-"

"Hey," Grant cupped her face again. "You can keep dropping these bombs on me and expecting me to walk out, but I won't. Whatever this is I'm here, you told me that once."

"Stop using my own words against me. It's infuriating," Skye mumbled.

"What's infuriating is that you think everything you've told me doesn't apply to you. You accepted that I was Hydra, you love me in spite of that, you know all about my fucked up family and even helped me deal with it more than ten years after the fact. I'm doing the same for you. I accept you for who you are, whatever that entails."

She sniffled. "Yeah?"

"Yes. So maybe now that you have my approval, even though you don't need it, you can start to accept yourself because you might be different but there is nothing wrong with you," he stated.

Skye just nodded and let tears fall from her eyes as he enveloped her in his arms. Having him finally know everything and not run away screaming was a weight lifted off her shoulders. He knew everything and he was still there, he still wanted her. He still loved her.

"You're wrong, you're good at this talking stuff," she said into his chest.

"I'm good with you, that's it. Don't get any ideas," he replied gruffly.

She pulled away and bit her lip while looking into his eyes. Of course he knew exactly what she was thinking and his mouth descended upon hers in an instant.

x-o

She woke up with a start.

Seriously.

Skye shot up in bed and since she was a trained specialist before she even knew she was awake she knew she was in bed alone. Waking up in bed alone after sleeping with a man imbedded within Hydra made her react not like a girl who had just had sex with the guy she loves for hours, but like the specialist she was trained to be. And Grant being the skilled killer and spy he was had a firearm near his bedside because that's just good thinking.

Where the _hell_ was he? You don't just having amazing sex for hours and then get out of bed afterward.

Afterward you sleep like she did, even if it was only for—she looked to the clock—about forty-five minutes. Forty-five minutes that were wasted on sleeping when they could have been spent on important things like figuring out what to do.

The question remained: where the hell did Grant Ward go?

Gun in hand she slipped one of his gray long-sleeved shirts on just as the there was a beep and the front door opened. The gun was cocked and ready as her boyfriend-partner-soulmate-whatever appeared with a bag in his hands.

He didn't respond to her having a gun trained on him. Well, he did raise his eyebrows and smirk.

"Where the hell were you?" she demanded, tossing the gun onto the rickety table next to them.

He simply held up the bag. "Food."

"God, Grant, you can't just leave like that. We're not normal, and I don't mean normal as in I'm an Inhuman and you're my bondmate. I mean we're not normal as in I'm SHIELD and you're Hydra-esque and we're meeting in secret like freakin' Romeo and Juliet and the first thing I think that happened is kidnapping, torture, maybe even death, and two of the three of those happened to be just last week," she told him with arms crossed over her chest.

He dropped the food next to the gun and pulled her against his chest, but her arms remained unmoving. "Skye, we're safe here for now. And don't you think if something was wrong with me you would have known through the bond or whatever?" he questioned as a hand began to slide down her side and onto her naked skin. "We haven't exactly figured out what the bond is but I think that was one of the pluses, now we can know when the other is in trouble."

Skye sighed and leaned into his body, more like slumped against it actually. "I'm sorry, I just- we just-" she stopped when he suddenly had her lifted from under the bum and was walking her towards the bed.

"I know," he murmured and dropped her on the middle, not bothering to be gentle or worry about her so-called injuries from the last week.

She'd mentioned her fast healing and rather than shy away he just said he was happy she was alright and proceeded to kiss the angry red line full of stitches. It didn't even hurt anymore and besides she was used to worse pain on a normal basis. She liked how he just accepted her, no she loved it. It was unconditional and she never had that before.

Rather than hover over her to kiss and touch or whatever else like she thought he would he just looked her over thoroughly.

After at least two minutes she got up on her elbows and nudged him with her foot. "What?"

"I want you to keep that shirt," he stated in a hoarse voice.

"Seriously? All that staring over some shirt?" she questioned, but melted a little on the inside.

"Well that and thinking of how I am going to make up for scaring you when you woke up alone," he said as he shrugged the leather jacket down his arms and then lifted his shirt off too. "And did I mention how hot it is to see you with a gun?"

"Aw, is this the part where the Neanderthal in you comes out and oohs and awes over the fact that I know how to disarm an opponent in about ten seconds and can literally climb your body like a jungle gym, only not in the fun way, but to take you down?" she asked in a husky tone. She smiled as his jeans began to look tight.

This was fun. He always had the power before because she couldn't look too strong or be completely honest. Now it was a level playing field. He knew she wasn't weak or helpless now.

He continued with his staring and she wondered what thoughts were running through his mind. "You said you were going to make it up to me?"

Grant nodded and grabbed onto the back of her knees to pull her to the edge of the bed. "I did," he said as he got onto his knees.

Her stomach began to flutter in anticipation. There was something oddly arousing about seeing him on his knees before her. Usually they were in bed when this happened so this was a bit new. When he didn't get right to work, and she was ready for it, she huffed and got up in her elbows once again to look at him.

"I'm waiting."

He grinned from in between her knees and moved his lips slowly up her inner thigh, not kissing, merely grazing. When he got to her inner most thigh he bit at the skin but all she felt was sparks as she clenched at the bedspread. He skipped her opening, of course, and went down the other side. His lips found her stitches and kissed around the edges again.

It was cute, it really was, but that was not what she needed. Taking a hold of his hair she tugged him towards her center and he just smiled.

"Don't get greedy," he murmured then began to leave open kisses from the wound to her thighs again. When he was finished with his trail he blew on it and made her shiver.

Just as she went to complain again his mouth covered her clit and her throat let out a strangled noise that only egged him on. "F-fu-aah!" she moaned deeply. She lifted her legs to give him more room to work with and in response he tugged on the tops of her thighs so her legs sprawled down across his back.

She tried to keep from pulling at his hair because she was certain he was going to go bald soon if it continued. It was becoming a horrible habit.

No one had ever gone down on her before Grant and she was glad she never thought of it as her thing because to have anyone but him do it wouldn't have been right. That was probably the reason she didn't even think of it as appealing before. They should probably talk about that—it intrigued her to know how he felt about the whole thing, how everything was on his end.

The thought leapt from her mind as Grant sucked _hard_ and entered two fingers into her slick opening. Giving up on the bedspread her fingers wove into his hair and tugged. She felt him smile against her clit before sucking some more. His fingers and mouth worked in unison and soon her hips matched them.

Warmth began to pool in her belly as her orgasm built. It was coming hard and fast, no pun intended. Usually he held off on making her cum so it would last longer for the both of them, but apparently 'making it up to her' meant letting her cum quicker too. Not that she minded.

The whole ordeal only must have lasted about ten minutes, probably less, because before she knew it everything exploded and her extremities began to tingle as the orgasm pulsed waves of pleasure all over.

"Can...you please...mess up more often," she said in between ragged breathes. That was a good one. Hell, they were all fucking amazing ones, but that one was hard and fast, there was no slow burn or intense need. It was just given and that felt wonderful.

"Take off your shirt," Grant ordered once her breathing evened out, not having said anything before that. "Actually, take off my shirt," he corrected himself.

Skye lazily lifted the top over her head and playfully threw it at him. She liked demanding Grant, he was fun.

He unbuttoned his own jeans and kicked them off, his boxers too, leaving his length to spring free all on its own. Skye licked her lips at the sight of him. He was stacked and muscular and damn. And he was all hers. After freaking out about the whole bond thing it was nice to have him know and just have fun with it while they could. Soon they'd have to talk and be serious again, but for just a little they could have fun.

Grant leaned down and slipped his thumb into her wet folds again, the pad of the finger gently moving over her clit to stimulate. She sighed in contentedness. She was letting him be in control and if he wanted her to do anything he was going to have to initiate it because she liked him telling her what to do. Inside the bedroom anyways, outside of it would be problematic.

Suddenly his thumb was gone but was replaced with the tip of his penis. Skye smiled up at him and he looked down at her with dark eyes, not the kind that were mad or confused, but the kind that were lustful and needing. His tip rubbed over her clit, its pressure changing every few strokes. It was the barely-there ones that killed her; there was something so erotic about it. It was the mixture of a tickle and her own imagination thinking it was there, like a mind game of sorts.

"Grant," she half-moaned and groaned at the same time a few minutes later, her nerves on their last leg. This was fun and all but she needed more.

He smiled and removed his tip from her lower lips and she whimpered. Okay, maybe the slow burn was fun and worth it, but suffering through it was just mean sometimes. "Flip over," he ordered a moment later, his own hand stroking his hard cock.

Skye sat up and rested her hand over his. "In a minute," she murmured and her tongue swirled around his tip and tasted both him and herself.

Grant's finger hooked under her chin, stopping any further movement. "I didn't tell you to do that. I told you to flip over," he insisted and pushed her shoulders back before taking a hold of her hips and forcibly turning her over. Then he reached over her to grab a pillow and tucked it underneath her hips.

Anticipation bubbled in her stomach.

He still lifted her hips with strong hands to make sure she would be comfortable and slid a thumb into her just to make sure she was still wet enough. Of course she was. It was only a moment later that his cock slipped into her vagina and she moaned into the bed sheets. "Are you good?" he asked before beginning.

Her heart melted and she squeezed her walls around him. "Yes. Go. Please," she begged and he did.

He thrust in and out of her at a long, languid pace making her steadily moan and bit her lip to keep from doing more. She got up on her elbows to have more of an anchor and pushed back into him to match his motions.

Soon he leaned down over her and was grunting in her own ear, his arms braced on either side of her, his lips sometimes moving over her shoulder. He nuzzled his face in her neck and she returned the sentiment.

There was something about being in love with the one you had sex with. It made the action a whole difference experience. She probably loved Grant from the first moment she saw him and insisted she did not have a type, but she didn't know until their last time together just before the extraction. Just the knowing made it feel better, more intense, more everything.

After a few minutes Grant reached around to play with her nub once again and that was what pushed her over the edge and made her come with a muffled scream. It was only a moment later when Grant came too and spilled himself inside of her. He collapsed beside her and closed his eyes as he evened out his breathing.

When they fluttered open Skye was looking at him, still lying on her stomach. "What?" he asked quietly, getting up on his side and weaving a hand into her hair.

"We need to figure this out, Grant. I don't want to be Romeo and Juliet anymore, I don't want their ending," she whispered and bit her lip.

"We're not Romeo and Juliet, Skye," he replied with a smirk that soon slipped from his face as she stayed serious. "We're not. We won't get their ending."

Her eyes closed and she shifted closer to him. "We're going to get an ending like theirs if we don't figure something out. I won't be Hydra, you're barely Hydra, and I'll never go against SHIELD."

"I'd never ask you to," he insisted.

"But I can't live like this either," she stated and he just looked at her.

He wouldn't ask her to choose, but they both knew she was about to ask him to and it petrified her because she didn't know what his answer would be. She still didn't know why he was sticking with Hydra, but knew there was no use asking him that question. His answer would be tied to it so she just waited for him to speak up.

* * *

**Whew. Okay honestly I never expected this to take so long but I started and restarted about four times and then I couldn't figure out how to end it and blah blah blah.  
(Plus I took some time off after the not-so-friendly comments I was getting- plus I had homework out the wazzo)**

**Anywho...not making any promises this time about when the next chapter will be out, I don't know.  
I work this weekend and it's a holiday so you'll get it eventually.  
(Sorry)**

**Review please!**

**\- Kay**


	16. Finding A Way to Let Go

**Thanks for all the kind words guys, you made my day every time I got a new review. You're all so sweet.  
I'm glad you liked the smut, I know some of you wanted it and thought it had been a while. It helps the confidence when it is well responded to.**

**So I remember once upon a time I told someone we'd be caught up to the preface around chapter 15 well we're not...sorry.  
****I think we should be caught up soon-ish if that helps. I have a working time line, but whatever happens when I write happens.  
Anywho, thanks for sticking with me as always.**

**I'm having trouble writing Skye controlling her powers because we haven't seen that on the show yet, so let me know how I am doing with it, yeah?  
ALSO: I am NOT doing the two separate SHIELDs on this...I just don't have all the info on it and don't want to mess it up. I'm sticking with Grant being Hydra and Skye's mother remaining dead.  
(BTW that was crazy, right?)**

**Chapter 16**

* * *

It was impossible to hack her way back in Providence. The automatic weapons were there for a reason, reasons like her skillset.

There was no way to get close enough. All she could do was present herself to be let in, plus she was tired and didn't want to deal with even attempting another way inside. They all knew she was gone. What was she going to do, sneak back in and act like she'd been there for the last day? That had about as much of a chance at working as Fitz getting a monkey.

As the door opened she was greeted (or not-really-at-all _greeted_) by a pissed off Melinda May. Actually, it was more like the Cavalry than Melinda May not that she would ever say that out loud.

Skye stepped inside under the intense gaze of her S.O. and neither said a word as the doors closed behind her. She waited for May to make her move but nothing happened.

"Is this the part where you stay quiet and wait for me to confess and incriminate myself?" Skye asked a half yawn. She hadn't slept in more than two days, not really, and just wished this whole consequences thing could just wait until morning. It was hardly evening, but the thought of sleeping for twelve hours or so was very appealing.

"Skye, this is not a time to be funny," May warned. "Do you have any idea what you've done, how many rules you broke? You could have been taken again, maybe even killed. We are in the middle of a war and-"

"I know!" she cut her mentor off, making May raise her eyebrows. "I know what I did I just- I needed time," she insisted quietly. "So I took it, but I'm fine. You trained me; you know I know how to make it on my own."

"You needed time?" May questioned and she nodded. "Are you sure that's all you needed? Don't take us for fools, Skye."

Skye just shook her head and continued her way further into the base. "I have done nothing to make you think I would do anything that would hurt SHIELD or myself," she insisted and knew May was on her tail.

"It's not you we're worried about Skye," the elder agent said and grabbed onto her arm. "Do you think we just forgot why you got extracted in the first place? Do you think that I don't know you and know you wouldn't just let something like that drop?"

Skye didn't answer, just ground her teeth together to stop herself from saying something that would incriminate herself. Sure, they knew _something_, but they also didn't really know anything. They only had ideas really.

"You've been disobedient, neglecting orders, doing what you what when you want even if it could get you killed, your powers have been-"

"I've been controlling them!" she couldn't help but speak up. "I was kidnapped and tortured and didn't set off and earthquake until I was stabbed in the leg and had gotten away from Garrett. I'm doing better, don't take that away from me."

"I won't, Skye, but it doesn't negate the fact of all the rules you've been breaking. You're an agent, you don't have the luxury of doing what you want when you want to. We live by a higher code, we have an important job-"

"I have been doing my job," Skye cut in again. "I've been training, I've been running comms and the computers, I was held by Hydra and gave nothing away. I've told you the truth about what I am even though that scares the hell out of me. I am a good agent, don't take that away from me either. I've worked hard to get where I am."

"Skye-"

"No. I know I've gone against rules and regulations, but it's always been for good reason. I went to see Cal alone so I could ask questions I needed to on my own, questions I was worried to ask in front of you guys because I know just what kind of code and higher standard I am supposed to live by. I'm trying to figure out who I am, what I am, and I needed some time alone to do that because being different scares the hell out of me and if you can't understand that I'm sorry but it's true." May was quiet now. "So I know I have to talk to Coulson and apologize to Fitz and I will, but can it be later? I'm tired and need some time to think. Alone."

She felt like a child who was chided for every little thing and in part she was acting like one but they also needed to trust her. No matter what she was with Grant she still was a trained agent.

_"Grant Ward you put that back!" she ordered with a hand covering her mouth as she chewed._

_He stopped his movement, but didn't let go of the slice. "I- no?" he replied, unsure of what he had done wrong._

_"I want that one," Skye insisted and went to grab it from him. "Grant! It has the perfect pepperoni ratio to the cheese and size of the slice!" she whined. "I've been eyeing it for a full three minutes now."_

_He watched her finish off her own piece before taking a large bite off the bottom of the one in his hand._

_She gasped dramatically. "You did that just to spite me!" she insisted with a full-on finger point. "Now it's ruined! You've soiled it." Grant just grinned as he swallowed. "SOILED IT!"_

_"Stop saying that," he chuckled and took another bite._

_"It's from _SpongeBob_," Skye told him with raised eyebrows. "Not only have you not seen like anything important, you've never seen _SpongeBob_? I understand you live in a cave, but even caves have antenna access to _SpongeBob_."_

_"Sorry, babe, I'm not the biggest TV guy. On my down time I'm sleeping or reading."_

_"Probably working out too," she huffed and settled for the meek last slice of pizza that should have never been a slice. It was that small._

_Grant looked down at his upper body then back up at her. "Yeah, complain about it because usually you're fawning all over it."_

_"Fawning is such a stretch," Skye muttered while looking at her slice with disdain._

_"Drooling work better for you?"_

_"Don't get a big head, Grant Ward," she warned and he just grinned mischievously. "Ugh, and stop thinking like a boy!"_

_Now finished with his helping Grant reclined back on their shared motel bed that had definitely seen better days. The sheets had seen them too, but that was not something she wanted to think about. Ew._

_As she took the rest of the slice into her mouth she dusted her fingers off the side of the bed and admired the man next to her. Drooling was a stretch, fawning was not. Seeing Grant casually lying on the bed next to her wearing nothing but baggy sweatpants was a nice view. A very nice one. It was also an odd one. Back when she was undercover there was always a level of tenseness to him. Seeing him completely relaxed was weird but wonderful at the same time. It put her at ease that they were safe there for now and that for once there were absolutely no secrets between them._

_She let out a long breath and angled herself to lean back against his legs that had remained bent up and used them as a backboard of sorts. Then his hand snaked out and linked through hers._

_"What?"_

_Skye blinked as her eyes moved from their hands to his own. "Hm?"_

_"You're staring. And not at my chest so it's more than adoration."_

_Now she rolled her eyes. "I just like having no secrets. Our relationship has always been real to me, but right now it feels really real, you know?" __He nodded, but said nothing.__"What's it feel like for you?" she questioned a moment later. "The bond? I mean, did you know something was off?"_

_Grant let out a long breath. "You know when you've been training hard for a few days and then you take that one day off and all your muscles feel on edge, like they need that work out to feel normal because that's what they are used to now?" he asked, but didn't wait for an answer. "Like how you need to put strain on them to feel the uneasiness pass, to flex them or hold your body stiff so every muscle is in use. It's like you can't rest, you can't sit still."_

_"I don't like that it affects you, it's not fair," she murmured, her voice laced with guilt._

_"Stop," he ordered and squeezed her fingers. "Just stop. I don't like you talking like that. Stop blaming yourself." Skye just bit her lip and nodded. "What about you? It's worse on you, right? Which is why I don't know why you're upset about me. I can handle myself. It's you I worry about."_

_"Don't worry about me," she insisted quietly. "For me it's like a longing deep in my bones," she began with a far-off look. "I ache almost all the time. You know how you get growing pains when you're little?" He nodded. "It's like that. __And I have a gnawing in my stomach, like a monster that wants something and it's never calm unless you're around. And I can tell when you're around." She stopped and smiled to herself. "When I was outside texting you I knew you were close, my fingers and toes began to tingle and my monster was humming and it made my whole body vibrate in a good way."_

_Grant sat up and pressed a kiss to the corner of her mouth. "I think that smile right there is the whole reason why this is a good thing." His nose rubbed against hers and she shuddered (just a little, really). "If I can make you smile like that it's all worth it."_

_"I knew you were a softie, Grant Ward," she breathed with eyes closed and mouth brushing against his._

_"I told you," he said and cupped the back of her head. "I love board games."_

Knocking woke Skye from her dream.

A grogginess soon overwhelmed her, the kind when you were woken in the middle of the REM-cycle and now your whole day is going to be off. Her eyes flicked to the clock.

It was _not_ 4am and someone was waking her. In trouble or not that was _not_ okay. It just wasn't. So she ignored it.

But the knocking continued. It was a light rap, more like, so it wasn't Coulson or May and probably not Bobbi or Hunter either.

It took everything in her to not make the room rumble, but she kept it in check and threw open the door, not even caring all she was wearing was Grant's shirt (and underwear of course). "WHAT?"

Fitz literally jumped in the air. "I- um," he stuttered out. "Talk. I wanted to talk."

Skye instantly deflated. "Can't we do it later? I know I have to apologize and everything, but I just- I really need sleep," she groaned and went back to bed knowing Fitz would follow.

"You went to him, didn't you?"

She rubbed her eyes. "Fitz, it's been a long couple days and-"

"Please just answer my question, Skye, you owe me that," he cut her off. "I had to give that note to May. Melinda May. The Cavalry. You made me the messenger."

"I'm sorry, Fitz, but you were the only one I trusted with that. And I knew you would hold off the longest so I could get further away. That and you sleep in," she went on with a slight shrug and head tilt.

"Just tell me, please, I feel like I have to know what I was made to be a part of."

"I did, Fitz," she answered honestly. "I went to him and I'm perfectly fine because he would never hurt me. He loves me." Fitz nodded repeatedly and put his hands on his hips the funny way he does. "Are you going to tell them?"

"You aren't?"

She shook her head. "No. I'm not. I can't. You know what they will think. They'll say he's using me like I used him, that he's trying to get information, and he'll always be Hydra and it's all a lie."

"And it isn't?"

"No!" she exclaimed. "We're real. I love him, we have a- you don't understand. No one understands and can never understand, but I don't expect you to. I just need someone to believe me. Please believe me, Fitz."

He was quiet for a long minute. "I believe you, but you're right in that they won't."

"They'll see it eventually. I know they will," she murmured. "They have to."

"What are you going to tell them, that you needed time alone? I overheard May speaking with Coulson and they don't believe it. They're going to want the truth or some version of it at least."

Skye nodded. "I know." She let out a long breath and fell back on the bed. "I did need time away though, it was nice. Really nice."

_"What do the earthquakes feel like?" Grant questioned as ran hands down her bare thighs as they sat facing each other in bed. "I mean I know what an earthquake feels like, what does it feel like for_ you_?"_

_"I don't know... I never tried to- no one asked me that before," she murmured, fingers twiddling in her lap._

_"I find that hard to believe."_

_Skye shook her head. "No, it's not," she croaked. "The ability, it's outward, everyone just thinks I get upset and I set it off but it's not just that. They- they think I get upset and it just happens, that for the rest of the time it's dormant, but it's not."_

_"So tell me. I want to know how it affects you," he insisted and bumped foreheads._

_She opened her mouth and then closed it trying to find the right words. "I- it feels like bees inside me all the time, pressing against my skin, waiting for a weak moment so they can attack. And when I feel the right emotion, or wrong emotion I guess, the quakes just start. It was horrible in the beginning. I couldn't do anything, any little thing that upset me and it got out of control."_

_"How did SHIELD handle that?"_

_Skye smiled now and began to play with his fingers. "Coulson was great. He moved HQ and had Fitz reinforce everything so I couldn't damage too much. Simmons worked with me in the beginning to keep me calm via medication while May got me back into breathing exercises and calming techniques. They've all been really great and I should appreciate it more. They're my family and I love them."_

_Grant smiled too. "Good. Wait May as in Melinda May?"_

_"Don't even call her the Cavalry, she doesn't like it. She's my S.O., but I call her M&amp;M."_

_"John's mentioned her; he doesn't like her, but respects her. That's big for him."_

_"May hates him," she stated easily. "Coulson was hurt the most when it all went down, Trip too. He was Trip's S.O., but Coulson had been friends with Garrett for years. They trained together under Director Fury."_

_"I never thought of the people John left behind," Grant spoke up. "All I've ever heard is how horrible SHIELD is, how they hung him out to dry and wronged him. I never heard the good things they did or the people he hurt by turning. I always just followed him blindly. It pisses me off now."_

_"You didn't know any different," Skye assured him._

_"I guess it's easy for him to turn of the people that trust him. He was real quick to 'fix' me when-" he stopped and shook his head. "I don't want to- anyway," he coughed. "The bees, do they hurt?"_

_She squeezed her eyes shut and looked like she was trying to crack her neck. "It's more...uncomfortable than painful. It can hurt when I'm trying to keep an earthquake from happening though."_

_Grant cupped her cheek and she leaned into his touch. "Does it still feel that way when I touch you?"_

_She bit her lip and shook her head. "I- no, it dulls when you're touching me."_

_"So this makes it go away," he whispered as his hands slid up her thighs and then under her shirt._

_Skye nodded and lifted her shirt over her head with eyes still closed. "Yes." Keeping her eyes closed made the whole thing seem more erotic somehow._

_Grant continued to caress her bare body, his hands skimming over her sides and down her back, over her thighs and peppering kisses all along her collarbone area. "C'mere," he murmured and lifted her to straddle his lap._

Skye dodged a swing from Hunter and went to kick his legs out from underneath him, but he jumped and stepped away. She righted herself and went to attack again, but he caught on to her wrist and tried to flip her onto her back, but instead she used his strength against him and went to flip all the way around and land on her feet. It was a trick she'd been trying to perfect for a while.

She landed on her feet, but was unbalanced, which Hunter took full advantage of and had her on her back in a moment with a hand to her throat.

"You don't have the confidence," May spoke up, surprising the both of them. "In the flip."

"Well seeing as every time I try it I almost land on my ass and then my opponent puts me there because of that you're right, I don't have the confidence. I can't get it," she agreed as Hunter helped her up.

"That's your problem. You need to know you will land it, there is no other option. Not landing it results in possible death, don't allow that to happen. Know you will land it," her S.O. stated.

Skye nodded. "Noted. Next time I'll kick your ass," she teased the Brit standing next to her.

He smirked. "You'll try."

"The director and I want to have a word with you," May insisted with hands behind her back.

She'd been waiting for this. When she woke in the morning there was no summons, but she knew it was coming. So she went about her day normally—ate some food, checked the computers, worked out, the norm. Honestly she was surprised there wasn't some kind of written summons early in the morning. Waiting felt like more time for Mom and Dad to discuss her punishment.

May closed the door behind her as Coulson sat regally at his desk with hands linked sitting on the wood.

_"_Please don't tell me to sit," Skye almost plead. "It makes me nervous and I don't do well with nervous. Well, I do, it's my job to do well in any situation, but not when I feel like I'm about to get an ass reaming from my parents. That's something I've never really experiences—well I have recently, but still. I should stop."

The air was tense and only got more awkward after she called them her parents. It was an unwritten thing, something they never really spoke about because none of them were quite in touch with their feelings enough to speak of it.

"You can stand, Skye," Coulson said and stood as well as he moved around the desk to lean on the other side of it. "You did learn from Melinda, it's not something that surprises me. She doesn't sit either."

They shared and look and Skye's eyes drifted to the floor. Watching them felt like intruding.

"Now, w-"

"I just wanted to be alone," Skye cut him off immediately. "And I know what you're going to say. That what I did was stupid and irresponsible and it was. I know that. I know better than to just leave like that and if I had to leave under those circumstances then it obviously wasn't the right choice but I-" she stopped and saw both of their blank stares. "I was wrong and I take full responsibility for it."

"Do you?" May questioned and stepped closer. "You keep making these mistakes and then owning up to them—that I respect. What I don't respect is you continuing to make them. It's like you think that you don't have to live up to the same standard as everyone else. I don't see anyone else sneaking out to be 'alone' or-"

"Melinda," Coulson stopped her and she gave a curt nod and stepped back. "She's right, Skye. I appreciate you realizing you're at fault, but you can't keep doing things like this. You do know better and we can't continue to let you slip through the cracks because," he stopped suddenly. "Because of your significance."

Skye nodded. "So what do you want? Everything I've done I thought was for the best." Coulson and May shared a look. "Do you remember what you told me the difference between us and Hydra was?" she asked, changing tactics.

"That Nazi part or," he stopped and shrugged.

Skye smiled a little. "No, well yes, but that isn't where I was going with this. You said that the difference between SHIELD and Hydra was that SHIELD agents are people who go with their gut and get the job done in the best possible way. Hydra agents are robots that do what they are told and don't care about who gets hurt."

"I'm glad you listen to me, Skye, but that doesn't have much to do with your actions."

"It does!" she exclaimed and stepped forward. "I'm doing what I think is best, what is best for SHIELD in my eyes, and you know I would never go against that. I'm still SHIELD, A.C., that will never change. I went to Cal alone because I had questions about myself I needed answered by myself. Whatever path I am on with whatever I really am is a path I am on, no one else, and I didn't want to endanger the team. He may be a crazy doctor monster thing, but he is my father and would never hurt me. I can't say the same for anyone else and to be fair I was on my way back when I was taken."

"You were on your way back alone and that is why you were taken," May spoke up.

Skye shook her head. "No, I would have been taken anyway. I told you that Hydra is watching Cal and Garrett was too intrigued by me just to let me go. He would have tried to get me either way and since I was alone I was the only one taken and that is something I wouldn't change. Who knows what Garrett would have done with someone else there?"

"We're been over this Skye, it doesn't change the fact that you left alone again and endangered yourself and SHIELD by doing so. You didn't bring back up, you didn't tell anyone where you were going, you didn't even have a tracker-"

"Actually, I did have a tracker on me ready to turn on in case anything happened but nothing did so," she stopped with a nod.

"Skye," Coulson warned.

"Do you have any idea what I'm going through?" Skye demanded. "In less than a year SHIELD fell, I found my birth parents, now have the ability to cause earthquakes, fell in love with Hydra's Lethal Weapon while masquerading as a stripper, and found out that I'm technically not human, what the hell is that? Most people in their twenties are graduating college and getting married and I am getting shot up with sedatives so I don't kill everyone I love around me. It's kind of a lot so I wanted time to myself. I know it was stupid and very... well, me, but I did it anyways because I needed it. I needed time to be just Skye like I used to be rather than Skye the Inhuman everyone stares at in the halls because they don't know when I'm going to bring the roof down on them."

Both of her mentors were quiet.

"When I first joined SHIELD and I used to disappear do you remember where you'd find me?"

"The backseat of a car," Coulson answered easily.

Skye nodded and shrugged. "I just needed more space than a backseat. I needed to be away and- I knew you wouldn't let me go but I needed to. All I can say is I'm sorry and you did teach me better but old habits die hard." The last part of her sentence made her smile and think of Grant again.

_"I'm leaving in a few hours," Skye murmured as she rested against Grant's chest. "Less than a few hours actually, like two, and we still haven't talked about the most important part of this."_

_"I think what we've been doing is important," he replied with his lips at her forehead._

_"Grant," she insisted and got up on her elbow. "You only holding off makes me more scared of your answer. I know you love me; I know it, why are you sticking with Hydra?"_

_Grant sat up, forcing her to remove herself from him. "Because I'm not SHIELD either, Skye."_

_"You could be, you-"_

_"You're not listening to me, Skye," he snapped and turned. "Even if I went there and they didn't throw me out on my ass because of you I would never really belong. I'm not SHIELD and I never will be. I was trained by Hydra, I've tortured and killed for Hydra. All I am is Hydra and loving you isn't going to change that. It's part of who I am."_

_"Part of who you were," she corrected and tugged on his arm. "You're good, Grant, and you're right they won't really accept you at first but they will see how great you are."_

_"Don't be naive, Skye. You... you'll always be the protégé of the director, but do you know what I will be?" he questioned. "I'll be the protégé of the man that hurt them most and killed countless people who refused to side with Hydra. I will always be his protégé in their eyes. Hydra," he laughed the last part. "Who knew the one thing that saved me from hell would also be the thing that dragged me back down into it."_

_"Grant," she murmured and kissed the back of his shoulder. "I won't let that happen."_

_"It's not up to you. I've dug my own grave."_

_"No you haven't, but we still have to figure something out. I can't live like this."_

_"Why do you think I've stayed at Hydra? Because I'm scared of leaving? No. I stay because I can't do this anymore either," he admitted. "I feel like my entire life I've been at war. War with my parents, my brother, myself, SHIELD, now Hydra and I'm sick of it. I'm staying in Hydra so I can try and help you from the inside. Do you really think I only lead you here to hook up?"_

_She shrugged. "I mean, I've enjoyed that part so far."_

_"Me too, but if we can finally finish this maybe there doesn't have to be a me versus you problem, there can just be you and- I don't know. I told you the day you were extracted I wanted to pay my debt to John so I could really live, remember?" Skye nodded. "I still want that. I know you're SHIELD and I would never take that away from you, but if Hydra is gone maybe it won't matter. I may not really be Hydra anymore and I'm not SHIELD either, but that shouldn't stop you."_

_Skye looped her arm through his and leaned against his side. "Do you think you would be happy just being my trophy boyfriend-soulmate-whatever?"_

_Grant raised his eyebrows. "Well, there is something else I could be."_

_"What?"_

_"Your husband."_

* * *

**Okay so I had more written after that, but it felt forced and wrong so I deleted it and just ended it there because I am evil and it's 4am right now and it just wasn't getting any better. Sorry.  
****Was Grant too mushy? I like mushy Grant, but not too mushy...I don't know. They're going through a lot, okay? Let them be mushy! **

**What do you think?  
****I know there is a lot left unresolved (how he is going to help from the inside, what Coulson and May are going to do with her rule breaking, her answer to the proposal- was that even a proposal? I don't know [okay maybe I do]) but trust me!**

**Review please!  
\- Kay**


	17. Save Your Advice 'Cause I Won't Hear

**You're all amazzzing, as always! Thanks so much.  
****I'm glad you all liked Ward's 'proposal'!**

**Did they get married before she returned to HQ? I can't tell you!**  
**But we are almost caught up (as you can tell). Excited? Me too!**

**Keep on readin' and reviewin' and I keep writin'**

**Chapter 17**

* * *

"What do you think you're doing?" Fitz's Scottish drawl made her eyes flick upward from the TV.

Skye looked from the rocket scientist, to the bag of chips, the TV, and then back to him before answering, "Um, training."

"For what?" he asked with hands on his waist.

"My Guinness Book of World Record try-out to do nothing for the longest," she answered as her eyes went back to the screen and stayed there.

"I don't think watching TV and eating bon-bons technically counts as doing nothing," Fitz insisted. "And is there really a record for that?"

"No idea," she said before smiling at him quickly and then putting her attention back on the screen once more.

The seat next to her sagged and Fitz's hand dove into the back of chips making her lip curl in annoyance before shrugging it off. There was always popcorn to eat. And since she could technically blame Fitz for the chip supplying dwindling so dramatically she could have him make it. Plus he was awesome at making popcorn. He knew just when to take the bag out of the microwave and how much butter to add so it's like the movie theater kind, but not too much so you can feel your arteries being clogged as you eat.

Simmons, on the other hand, has two PhDs and still somehow manages to mess up popcorn every damn time. After the last smoky disaster A.C. asked her to never, ever try again. The kitchen smelled for days.

"What is this exactly?" Fitz wondered a few minutes later, his mouth full of the crispy potato chips.

"Uh, _Live Free or Die Hard._It's the last one in the series, well so far. Bruce Willis might make another one eventually because you know what they say about old habits."

"They die hard- ah!" Fitz began laughing almost hysterically.

Skye smiled. She'd been saving that for a while, but everyone had been busy for the last day or two. Or they were avoiding her, either way.

She'd been nothing but an exemplary agent for almost two weeks. She attended to the computers and did everything she was told, completed her chores, did the daily work outs, training with the boys, earthquake sessions with Fitzsimmons, and even went to bed at a reasonable hour. Coulson was starting to do that approving nod-smile thing every time they locked eyes for an extended amount of time. It was almost unsettling.

She was used to being the 'bad' girl or the kid who marched to the beat of a different drum. Sure, she followed orders and completed missions, but to do every right thing was pretty boring. She was trying so hard to be good, but good in that way wasn't really what she was. She was the rebel, the smart-mouthed orphan who was never in one place for too long.

SHIELD was the longest she'd ever spent with anyone.

God, had it really been five years? She'd gotten on Coulson's radar in a bad way when she was twenty and now she was twenty-five and getting on Coulson's radar in a bad way all over again.

She laughed to herself. Old habits really did die hard.

"So why have you been holed up for the last two days watching movies and eating your bon-bons? Everyone's noticed," Fitz began after a few quiet moments.

And her _Die Hard _film marathon was just about at an end when someone had to come by and ruin it. Well, not ruin, Fitz always means well, but it was bound to happen. "Have they?"

"Mhm, Hunter says you've been broken or whatever," her 'adopted' older brother insisted. "That, like, Coulson and May finally yelled at you one too many times. I mean, you haven't even hacked anything alarming in over a week or played a prank on anyone or done anything really."

"So I'm broken now?" she asked and sat up angrily.

"Not broken like you're falling apart, but broken like you're out of the rebellious phase, which I think is very un-Skye-like so I said you were just upset."

"Well I'm glad you're all having fun talking about me," Skye muttered and tightened her hands into fists to keep a cap on the anger.

"It's not like that! We're family, we gossip. We're all just worried, really. When Hunter said you were broken he said it sadly, not like boasting," Fitz insisted. "Oh, I'm messing this up, aren't I? I've made you mad and all I wanted- I'm sorry, Skye. I didn't mean to be rude, but-"

"You're fine, Fitz," she cut him off. "I just- I'm doing everything wrong lately so I'm trying to do something right for as long as I can."

"You're not doing anything wrong, you're just telling half-truths and have your own agenda," he insisted. "Wait, that sounds bad, you're going it for the greater good and just- can I stop talking and just make popcorn now? I don't have a middle when it comes to these girlie talks—I'm either alright or completely awful, but I can make popcorn."

Skye shook her head with a small smile. "You're fine, I know what you mean. This movie is almost over, let's make popcorn after and start a new one, huh?" Fitz nodded and smiled wide. "You haven't told anyone about..."

"No!" he instantly denied with wide eyes. "I would never—I think you have a good hidden agenda. I told you I believe you and I do and I will back you up if anything happens, for what that's worth."

"It's worth a lot to me, Fitz."

_"Did you mean it?" she murmured against his chest._

_The sound of water beating against her back was all that was heard for a moment. "Yes."_

_"Would you have said it if we weren't bonded?"_

_Grant chin lifted off her head, essentially untucking her top half from his. "I told you I'm not going to lie to you and just say things I know you want to hear. I'm not that guy."_

_"Grant."_

_"I probably wouldn't have, at least not for a while, but I have been thinking about it," he admitted. "Before I even knew about the bond, before I even knew if this was real. I've never had any of this before so I knew I wanted to hold onto it if I could."_

_"I leave in an hour." Her eyes met his and he cupped her face._

_"Is that your answer?"_

_"Did you even ask?"_

_Grant let out a half-laugh and pressed a chaste kiss to her lips. "Skye, will you marry me?"_

_"How? We're practically on the run, Grant. You're supposed to be brainwashed, I ran away from HQ to get here, you wanna stay with Hydra to end this war-"_

_"I've never had anything for myself," he cut her off. "Everything I've done has been to protect someone else, save John, further Hydra-"_

_"And now you're trying to finish this for me," she spoke up. "This still isn't for you."_

_"No, it's for us, so it is for me too," he insisted. "I want this for me because I love you and we have this bond, and I don't even know what that means but I know I like it and I want it. I want you, Skye."_

_"Okay."_

_"Okay? That's how you answer a proposal?" he laughed._

_"You asked in the shower without getting on your knee or a ring, don't push it," she answered with a wink and Grant just slanted his mouth over hers._

"It could get messy, but my hope is that we are in and out and get our job done," Coulson said as they gathered over the command center on the BUS. "We have on good authority this base is hooked up to their main network so we could get everything we should have gotten when Skye got onto the Lethal Weapon's computer, but couldn't because of the counter security measures."

"Why this base?" Fitz spoke up, his eyes blinking rapidly when everyone turned their sights to him. "I mean, why are we attacking this one?"

"Attack is a strong word, Fitz," Coulson replied, a small smile playing on his lips. "It's not well protected, there isn't much there right now. It's more of a back-up in case anything happens at a more important base, like how we had Providence when we chose to leave the Playground." Fitz nodded and Skye stuffed her hands into her pockets. "We have a few agents to put up a fight in front while the two of you get in, get the info, and do your thing. Trip will be standing by in case you need help and I will be running comms from here since Skye hooked us up with their camera footage so I can help you out. You've done your homework I hope, we land in less than an hour. We good?"

The group nodded and began to disperse. "You trust me to save your ass if needed?" Skye tossed over her shoulder as Fitz followed her out to the sitting area.

"Don't have a reason or evidence that suggests you won't," he replied easily and actually somewhat distracted as he looked at something on a tablet.

"I don't know, the last few missions I was on didn't end so well," she mumbled and collapsed onto the couch.

Fitz just waved a hand absent-mindedly. "Details."

She smiled and leaned forward to look over the floor plans of the base again. Fitz had so much faith in her—it was like she had done no wrong, didn't mess up their lives continually with earthquakes and temper tantrums. It made her feel like a regular, capable agent again. The others never vocalized their new feelings, but she knew some of them looked at her differently even if they would deny it. Fitz didn't and he knew everything, or close to it.

"You'll be fine," Trip spoke up, noticing her studying the papers again. "It's like riding a bike. And hey, you're allowed out of the base now, that's improvement, right?"

She shrugged. "I never minded being grounded to the base." And she didn't. She minded being looked at differently, her capabilities being doubted, the whispers among those who weren't close to her and assumed. She did wonder why she was being allowed out of the base now though.

A day ago Coulson just said she was needed for a mission and she accepted as all agents do. It wasn't a big mission and that was why she figured she was brought in. All she had to do was get in while another team provided a distraction and get all the information Coulson wanted off the mainframe while Fitz was with her building a bomb to blow the control room once they were done. She also had to protect the both of them while they did it.

Trip was going to be heading the team 'attacking' the front, but if needed he was to help her out. Coulson was quarterbacking the whole thing. It was a quick, simple mission. It did feel really nice to be doing her job again—maybe she was starting to be trusted again. That was good because she was going to do something they were not going to be happy with soon enough.

The BUS brought back good memories—times of training and pranks with Fitzsimmons, Friday night pizza, and movies. After a while they even got May into it. In a way the BUS was her home for a long time which was funny because before that her home was a van. It took a couple steps for her to actually have a stationary home and right when she did the earthquakes happened so even that home moved.

Providence was cool but underground so leaving was hard and the nearest McDonald's was about 20 miles away which was totally not okay. The not actually being able to see outside was pretty annoying too. Sure the pictures were fun for a week, then it just got annoying.

On the BUS there was always sun because May could fly above the clouds so the weather never actually applied to them. She missed the BUS.

She missed Grant more. He was her home now but that had to be pushed to the back of her mind because the mission had to be at the forefront. She was in charge of another life and if anything happened to Fitz she'd never forgive herself. It did annoy her though that she hadn't been able to contact him about the mission. He was off the grid for a number of days now something neither of them were a fan of but wasn't much they could do either.

The leaked information about this base did not come from her so she didn't know much about the place. She was still working on how to get intel Grant gave her to SHIELD and taken seriously without them knowing they were together. It was a work in progress.

Getting to the mainframe was easy enough. The foot soldiers stationed there were just so surprised that there was an attack there they were completely scatterbrained. Where did Hydra find these people? There were scientists there as well, she'd learned that through the comms. Everything was going well on the other end of the mission so that was good.

"Is there a class at one of the ah-mazing schools you went to that teaches how to make bombs?" she asked distractedly while waiting for the contents to load on the flash drive.

"Um, no, not exactly," Fitz answered while his hands moved intricately around two mounds of what she assumed were explosives. It wasn't really necessary to blow the hallway, but why not cripple Hydra little? "This was more of the academy than my scholastic schooling. I quite literally am a rocket scientist and when you think about that rockets tend to go boom when taking off so if you take that bit out..." he went on talking and Skye stayed hyper-aware of the surroundings. Fitz always worked better when not worried and simple mission or not the field still made him a little jumpy.

Once the upload was complete she took the flash drive and stuck it in her trusty hiding place—her bra—before beginning to wreak havoc on the system in case they were able to put it back together to see what they did (even though they totally wouldn't be to, still better safe than sorry). She also killed all the camera feeds just because. They had gone dark with Coulson upon entering the building. It was standard procedure. With the cameras going dark he would know her side of the mission was on track too.

"Okay, I'm done. What's your status?" she questioned looking over his shoulder.

"About two more minutes," he replied and she went for the door to do a quick assess but stopped short.

Voices.

She took one of Fitz's 'toys' out and pressed it against the door which would give an x-ray through the wall to see who was on the other side. "Shit."

"What?" Fitz asked with his voice higher than normal.

"There is a group gathering outside the door," she answered honestly. It was better to give him the facts. "Looks like ten to twelve; I can't see the whole area."

"I thought there weren't many stationed here and-"

"Fitz, calm down," she cut him off and began a little damage control. A worried guy building a bomb was not a good thing. "Finish the bomb, okay? I am going to get you out of here. That is one job I will not fail at."

The vent system in the room was just big enough to fit a small child so that wasn't an option. There literally was no way out besides the door and she knew what had to be done. Nothing bad would happen to Leopold Fitz on her watch.

"I'm done." She turned and nodded, handing him the flash drive. "What're you giving me this for? Skye-"

"Fitz, I am getting you out of here," she told him authoritatively. "I am going to go out there and fend them off. You are going to-"

"No!" he exclaimed and pushed the flash drive back into her hands. "Skye, we're leaving here together."

"Fitz, I'm the specialist here so I am deciding this," she told him sternly. "I've been getting a better control of my powers. Jemma's been working with me on the vibrations since I sent Bobbi and May flying. I'm going to distract them quake style and you're going to get out of here. I'll lead the fighting away and when you see this you're going to blow it, alright?"

"Skye I am not leaving you," he insisted once again. "We don't know what will happen when I blow it! You could be trapped on the other side with Hydra and-"

"I'll be fine. Grant will take care of it," she assured him. "Fitz I need you to do this for SHIELD okay?"

"Skye I'm not blowing this without knowing you will be okay. I won't and you can't make me," he told her. "I also won't let you get yourself killed out there and-"

"I won't die, Fitz, don't be dramatic," she cut him off. "And I don't care what you say we are doing this. I am the specialist and I am going to get you out of here. I can handle myself now give me your ICER." She took it from him more forcefully than necessary, but was on edge. In turn she handed him her gun.

"Skye, I-"

"Fitz, don't try me on this. Don't shoot to kill, but to knock them down and get away if needed. Tell Coulson what I had to do but do not tell them about Grant unless you think it's necessary, but make sure there is no other option. I'll set off a small quake if I get taken so look for the epicenter, alright?" She looked to see how many ICER bullets she had. "All of this could be for nothing, alright? I could get out of there fine. You okay?" Fitz nodded, but looked worried all the same. "Lock the door behind me, wait two minutes then get out."

Skye went out ICERs blazing taking down six before they even knew what was happening. She went to turn and take more out, but a Hydra agent was right behind her and sent the back end of his gun in her direction to knock her out, but she ducked and sent a powerful bunch to his stomach making him double over. Noticing more gathering behind she used the agent has a shield and then tossed him in the other agent's direction. Taking a page from May's book she used her surroundings to an advantage and swung off a pipe hanging from the ceiling and used her legs to kick a larger Hydra agent backwards and into a wall, knocking him out.

When she dropped and turned she was sucker punched causing her to fall back, but another agent caught her and threw her against the wall and into the fire extinguisher, breaking the glass with her head.

A whoosh in her stomach caught her by surprise but ignored it and grabbed a piece of glass as a weapon. She slashed one of the agents with it, drawing blood and then kicking him backwards into the wall. She kicked another one coming at her and then threw the piece of glass to an agent barreling down the hall, stopping him in his tracks and causing him to fall to the floor.

As she turned to take on another she was thrown against the corner of a wall and instantly felt dizzy. With her on the ground the agents took advantage and began kicking her repeatedly. With her under duress the ground began to shake and they all seemed confused. She held her hand up and sent one flying across the hall. The other stumbled back surprised but before she could do anything he was yanked back from her and then quickly dropped to the ground unconscious.

Skye just looked up, shocked and confused by the man in the mask's actions, but then when her stomach whooshed again she knew.

Grant.

All the air left her now that she was focused and could pay more attention to the bond. But their look only lasted a second before Grant quickly took down the three remaining agents and a fourth wiggling one trying to get away.

Once he was done he knelt down over her and brought up to rest against the wall all while yanking the ski mask over his face. "You alright?"

She didn't care to answer his question and just brought her hands up to touch his face. He was there and real and saved her. "Hi," she breathed shakily.

The corner of his mouth ticked upwards, but then returned to its normal state of a half-frown. "Skye are you okay? Any significant pain?" he questioned while pressing a hand to her ribs causing her to hiss but that didn't stop him from giving her a once over. "I don't think they're broken, just bruised. Two of 'em, I'd say. You need to get them looked at though, just in case. C'mon, get up." He didn't wait for an answer and just picked her up under the armpits.

Before he could ask any more questions Skye threw her arms around his neck and pressed their lips together. Ward's arms wound around her waist and pinned her against the wall as they kissed. That only lasted a second too, unfortunately.

"I- um, Skye?"

She ripped her lips from Grant's and even pushed him away a little even though every fiber of her being wanted him so close there wouldn't even be clothes separating them. "Fitz. I- you were supposed to blow the hallway!"

"You're standing right in the destruction zone and I wasn't going to leave you. I told you that when you came out here," he responded, then turned his eyes to Grant.

She sighed and grabbed a hold of Grant's arm. "Fitz this is Grant. Grant, Fitz is our resident rocket scientist and apparently doesn't know how to follow orders."

"Hey! You're not ranked higher than me; I don't have to listen to you."

"You should listen to me when I'm saving your life. You could have been out of here by now."

"I don't care; I'm not living you behind!"

"Stop," Ward ordered and they both did. "What are you doing here? You shouldn't be here."

Skye sighed. "We had on good authority this place was a ghost town and Coulson wanted intel since me and Bobbi both got pulled. Why are you here?"

"Dammit Skye, you need to tell me this shit before you do it. That's why I'm still in Hydra, to give you intel and end this war. You can't go in half-cocked-"

"Don't scold me! My director gave me a mission and I took it like any other agent would do. And you were the one incommunicado the last few days so I couldn't tell you. This is not my fault."

"The heads of Hydra were planning to meet here in the coming days. I'm here to set-up shop for them. This place isn't a ghost town and we have to get you out of here now," he said in a harsh tone. "Whoever is giving you intel doesn't know what he's talking about."

He began to drag her down the hall with Fitz in tow when she stopped and tugged on his arm. "Stop. We have to blow the control room."

He nodded and led them to an out-cove. "You got a switch?" he directed towards Fitz who nodded. "Alright, blow it."

Skye scooted into Ward's arms and he held them tightly around her in a protective stance. She only had a moment of peace to smell him and revel in the feeling of him being just there when the hall exploded sending them all flailing downward.

Well almost all of them. Grant not only kept her upright but grabbed onto Fitz's shirt too and kept him from landing on his ass. "You guys good?" They both nodded as the lights flickered and the hall was overcome with smoke. "Okay, come out this way. When you cut the cameras—which I had been trying to do for over ten minutes when I knew you were here—I was free to come get you. There is a team fighting off yours out front, but you're outnumbered but also more skilled. The quicker we get you out of here safe the better."

"Grant wait," Skye pulled on his arm. Everything was happening too fast. She was fighting off a dozen or so Hydra agents and suddenly Grant was there to save her ass and they were blowing up the hall and now he was leading them to safety. If she didn't stop everything for just a moment he'd be out of reach again for only God knows how long.

But he didn't stop. "I'm getting you out of here and fast. Garrett still wants you because of me and I won't let you anywhere near him."

"Grant Douglas Ward!" she exclaimed and dug her heels in to the floor forcing him to at least slow down. "I haven't seen you in two weeks and I don't know when I will see you next so I am going to get at least five damn minutes with my fi-frickin secret boyfriend-whatever-_thing_." She huffed at the end and stared him down. "You rush me along again and I swear you will regret-" he cut her off with his lips smashing on hers.

Sadly she pulled away just a second later and looked at Fitz who was trying to look anywhere besides them. Poor Fitz.

"There's a bathroom right there," Ward said with a head nod. "This area is clear, don't worry."

"Five minutes Fitz then I swear we're out of here," she promised.

The scientist nodded. "Uh, yeah, cool. I have to pee anyways. All the paranoia of maybe dying is getting to me." And with that he was gone.

"Ah!" Skye shrieked when Grant had her legs around his hips in no time and circled just once before pressing their lips together again, this time for more than a second. It felt amazing, like flying but could have something to do with the being up in the air part. The bees no longer buzzed and she felt lighter, happy. "I missed you so much."

He lowered her back to the ground. "I missed you too, but can't you can't do this shit, Skye," he replied and she rolled her eyes. "Don't do that. I can't keep you safe if you're doing things that endanger you. I was going to contact you tonight with what was going on so maybe SHIELD could interrupt the Hydra head meeting. Now we can't do that."

"Don't blame me. I followed orders on what we thought was a good lead. But you're right this intel we're getting is shady. I'm safe, don't worry," she assured him with arms still wound around his neck playing with the hairs at the nape of his neck. "I took out like nine of those guys, did you see that? I'm good."

Grant chuckled to himself. "You did, I won't deny you that, but if I hadn't come-"

"I had it handled. I was making them quake in their boots. Get it?" she smiled and he cracked one too. "See? We're both good. Cheer up, buttercup."

The smile only lasted a second. "Can he be trusted knowing about us?"

Skye nodded. "He already knew about you, why do you think he's not shocked? He's Fitz. We're fine," she assured him and kissed him softly.

Grant only reveled in it for a moment. "When am I going to see you next?"

"I don't know. I want- do you think we can-" she left it open with hopeful eyes. Geez, who knew she was a girl that _wanted_ to get married? When she thought about it the monster in her stomach that yearned for Grant constantly purred. It was kind of euphoric.

He knew exactly what she meant and began to dig into one of his many pockets. "That reminds me." He pulled out a pouch and emptied it out onto his palm.

A ring bounced before landing flat and her eyes went wide. "Grant, I was joking about the no ring thing I-"

"I didn't buy it," he cut her off then shook his head. "That sounds wrong. My, ah, my grandmother died when I was a kid before Tommy... and she left it to him, but when he... I know it's not really an engagement ring, it's just more of a family heirloom from the early nineteen-hundreds or something, but-"

"Shut up," Skye ordered and picked the ring off his palm. It looked antique and was a small silver band that came up to a big circle at the top. There was a diamond in the middle, but surrounding it looked like a bunch of intricate silver knots that were surrounded by a ring infinity signs on the edge that looped over and over again with a small diamond in each loop. The circular nature of it had it more flat than other engagement rings, but she loved it. She wasn't a flashy kind of girl. The ring was perfect. "I, um, I love it but it was your grandmother's and Tommy's, are you sure you want me-"

Grant took it from her and slid it up her left ring finger. "I think my grandmother and Tommy would both be happy with me using it like this. I've kept it on me since I got back just in case I saw you."

Skye blinked to keep her eyes from watering and smiled. "I love it. I love you."

He smiled back and kissed her chaste on the lips. "Next week. You said you could get away soon, right? I need this to happen as soon as possible."

She nodded. Maybe he had his own monster too. "Yeah. Next week."

Just then Fitz came out of the bathroom and she stood straighter. Grant squeezed her hand that adorned the ring and gave her a wink of encouragement.

They were getting married next week and she couldn't wait.

* * *

**Alright not a fan of this chapter but I wanted to show you some of how Skye feels being on the outside of the team harboring this secret and stuff. I also threw Fitz in because he's Fitz and I love him.**

**Do you like? I'm not a huge fan, but I needed to get this out for reasons.  
Okay I am going away next weekend for a family think so I don't know when the next one will be out. It depends on my muse and school work so if it's later than a week or so you know why. **

**Review please!  
\- Kay**


	18. The Heart Wants

**I'm glad you guys like what I'm doing with these characters. It worries me that I am not doing them justice so when you all say I am it makes me feel better. I too love adorable/awkward Fitz and protective/loyal Grant.**

**Sorry this took a little bit - I went out of town to see family and didn't bring my laptop. In return I have given you an awesome (I hope) super long chapter. I hope you're ready for all the stuff that happens! You've been warned.**

**Chapter 18  
(I am running out of chapter titles guys - ah)**

* * *

The only white dress Skye owned was one of the stripper dresses she never even got the chance to wear—like that was the issue, she never got to wear it. The issue was the fact that she was going to get married in a white stripper dress.

Well, as far as stripper dresses go it could have been worse. It could be something Sienna would wear or even Bobbi for that matter. Bobbi loved some of the outfits, but even she didn't like Sienna's lack-of-coverage. That wasn't her, at least she hoped it wasn't, and here she was getting married in a stripper dress. Okay so maybe she liked the dress a little bit, but not good enough to get married in. Then again you don't exactly elope in elegance.

Skye thought about this as she stood in a too-nice hotel room that Grant insisted they upgrade to staring at herself in a stripper dress (she may or may not like) waiting for the freakin' groom to show up because he's late. He was due to be there almost three hours ago, but called and said he got held up and promised he would not miss their wedding. It was so him to cut it close and normally it was endearing but this was annoying. But to be fair he had handled everything once they were able to work out a date which was a week after they originally planned. Grant set up the reservations, got a time at the chapel, ordered rings (she wasn't able to get many things ordered from SHIELD HQ); basically he did everything the girl usually did, traditionally at least.

It was sweet really. Most guys couldn't be bothered and here her fiancee was planning everything (even it was only because she was off the grid at HQ). And it wasn't like they were having a normal wedding. They were eloping. Skye just wanted a quick ceremony to put a ring on it so to speak and then get back to the room, eat room service, and not leave bed until they had to go back to the real world. So it was okay if Grant was late because he_ did_ do everything and she had to give him leniency for that. He worried about the little stuff and it was so cute, like one night she came back to her room to find the SAT phone blown up with messages and pictures of wedding bands because he had no idea what he was doing. His wedding ring was to be a gunmetal color—she told him he didn't need one, it wasn't normal in their line of work but he reminded that he didn't really want to stay in the line of work. Hers was to be a normal wedding band, or so she was told—who knew what he really did? He was to wear a regular black suit and she was told to wear white.

Who new eloping was so much work? The point to eloping was to not have so much to do, right?

Skye looked at the SAT phone just as it lit up with a phone call. "Please tell me you're here or close to it or so help me-"

_"I'm running late,"_ he cut her off, his voice garbled a bit because they were both using shitty phones.

"Later than the three hours you already were?" she questioned while looking at herself in the mirror with an eye roll. Don't be mad, he's adorable. Don't be mad, he did plan all of this. Don't be mad- but if he stood her up on their wedding day there would be hell to pay. Skye didn't want for his answer and kept ranting instead. "You better not miss the whole thing, Grant Ward! I shaved like everything twice. Twice! Just to make sure I was smooth and I cut my hair and- well, Bobbi did it, she has a knack for it, but the point stands. I painted my own nails three times because I suck at it and I wanted to look nice. I live in the freakin' wilderness and I managed to get here on time and I had to walk miles and take two trains and rent a car, not to mention I am wearing a stripper dress because I didn't have time to shop-"

_"Skye,"_ he stopped her once more. _"Breathe. I am not going to miss this. You're just going to have to get there without me."_

"What? How?" she demanded with nostrils flaring.

_"You just said you rented a car. I'm in a taxi on my way; well I'm almost there actually. The train had an issue and I had no cell service until now. These phones really fuckin' suck, you know."_

She sighed and picked up her little black clutch. "Okay."

_"Don't be mad, it's our wedding day. Besides you're not supposed to see the bride before the wedding, right? Bad luck and all."_

"Yeah because that is the problem with our wedding, the superstitions. Not the warring boss's or the fact that we both know about a hundred ways to kill a guy and have to avoid cameras so we don't have to tap into one of those hundred ways-"

_"Skye,"_ he chuckled, obviously entertained by the rambling but the rambling was the only think keeping her from setting off an earthquake.

"You're laughing?! I am so mad at you right now-"

_"I love you,"_ he broke in and she instantly deflated. Gosh, if he had the power to just be forgiven at the drop of a hat it was going to piss her off. _"I'll be at the chapel in two minutes or less. You know the address."_

"Alright, alright, I love you too." They hung up a moment later and she let out a long breath before looking at herself one last time and leaving the hotel room. She was about to become a married woman. Life is wild.

Getting out of HQ was annoying and hard and all she wanted to do was marry Grant and do that thing married people do, but she couldn't help but think of what everyone else was doing as she drove. It also helped to keep her mind off the impending nuptials or else she would throw up. The nerves were a bitch.

She told Fitz she was off to see Grant, but not much else. Coulson and May were out in the field doing something Hydra-head related. Personally she thought they were shakin' down his so-called snitch that got them almost killed on the last mission. She still didn't know who the guy was and didn't ask. Had she not been involved in pseudo-wedding planning she probably would have gotten more involved but whatever. So she snuck away during the Koenig's watch (why Coulson left them in charge was beyond her) and was being very careful about not getting caught. It helped that Bobbi and Hunter were out in the field too so they couldn't be searching for her at HQ. They were resourceful.

To be fair she did leave another note so they knew she was taking more 'time alone.' After almost getting killed (kind of) with Fitz it wasn't that much of a stretch that she needed it. Hopefully they would believe that. It was annoying that as soon as it seemed she was getting Coulson's trust back, or at least a shred of it, she was messing it all up again but this was important to her. One day he would see. He had to.

By now everyone knew she had flown the coup but the last place they would look is Vegas, right? And they weren't even technically in Vegas because that would be stupid with all the cameras and stuff. They were on the outskirts and Grant managed to find the one not-trashy chapel for people that just wanted to elope because they loved each other, not because they were drunk or whatever (at least that is what he told her).

Skye parked at the chapel that was only a little over ten minutes from the hotel with butterflies the size of mothra or whatever Godzilla fought in her stomach. Or it could be the bond with Grant so close, who knew? It was all such a whirlwind. She exited the car on wobbly ankles and tried to take steady breaths as she approached the doors. Just as she reached them Grant stepped out head to toe in black, even a black dress shirt, and no tie. His head was shaved there was a day or two of scruff on his face. The sight made her mouth go dry.

"_Damn." _Okay she definitely had a type. Skye was totally into bad boys. Now was time to embrace it, Grant was perfect.

His eyes looked her up and down. "I was going to say the same thing. You look..."

Skye blushed and looked down. "It's not too stripper-y?" She felt so light-headed from all the feelings and excitement it was a good thing he was so close or she would fall over with no one to catch her. Or maybe it was because he was close that she was light-headed?

"You think _this_ is for a stripper?" he questioned with his eyes still on her body.

The dress tied around her neck and came down to form a deep V between her breasts and was a lacy white with the look that it was see through, but was skin-colored underneath the lace. The entire back was open coming to another V just above her bum. The fabric did turn to just lace once it reached mid-thigh where it flowed down to her feet in waves from an excess of material. She put her hair up in a simple but intricate-looking knot with two tendrils framing her face and slightly curled with eye makeup done smoky.

"You're beautiful, Skye," he murmured barely audible.

It only made her cheeks turn a deeper shade of pink. "I- um, I thought it was bad luck to see the bride before the wedding?"

"I'm going to hold off on kissing you, that's enough," he said in a gruff voice. "You ready?"

Skye just nodded and took his hand.

While Grant planned the actual wedding she had to do some work on her end too. For one she didn't exist according to... well, anywhere and in order to get married legally she needed to exist. She had to get herself a birth certificate and everything else needed. Starting today she'd actually have a last name for real... even if it was likely to be erased again eventually. She wanted this to be legit, she was going to do this right and it was only going to happen once for her.

All Skye could think about was Grant's hand leading her inside. Every nerve-ending in her body was on fire and excited. She was happy she was used to the heels from the stripper days or she would have actually fallen over from the nerves, but mostly it was just excitement.

Grant had already been there for over ten minutes so everything was in place. The chapel even had a few simple bouquets to pick from which was good because they both completely forgot about it. They also had a small camera crew for a couple extra bucks where they would take the pictures and give you the film to develop on your own or for more money they would do it and send to you. Grant opted for the pictures and taking the film. She hadn't even thought of pictures.

Where did he find this place? It was perfect. The chapel was cute and draped in whites and blacks with flowers lining the few pews and a pastor stood at the end of the aisle with Grant next to him. A woman was where the bride's maid would stand if she had one. It would have been Jemma. Skye shook her head—now was not a time to think about_ that_.

Light organ music played while she wobbly made her way down the aisle too. It was all so surreal. Grant had planned this. They were getting married. In ten minutes they would be man and wife. She was to be a wife. She never was a daughter, sister, cousin or anything and now she was going to have a real familial title. Wife.

Their paid-for witness took the bouquet and smiled with tears in her eyes. "Don't mind her. She's my wife and she cries at every wedding we do," the pastor said with a kind smile and wink to his own wife who just sniffled in return.

Skye smiled wide and felt Grant take her hands in his and squeeze. "Hi," she greeted awkwardly in a breathy voice.

A deep chuckle left his throat as he smiled. "Hi."

"Are we ready?" the pastor questioned and they both nodded. "Alright then, let's start with a prayer."

The pastor spoke and she just smiled at Grant. Another blush crept up her cheeks under his intense gaze. The engagement ring was on her right ring finger still because the wedding band was supposed to be closer to your heart, or so she read, but couldn't wait to wear both on her left finger. This really was happening.

"Are we ready for the vows?" he asked once he was done and they both nodded once more. "Alright, Grant repeat after me please." They had made a version of their own vows to say since neither was very religious—well they were looked up online.

Grant's voice was deep and smooth with no trace of nervousness as he spoke. "I, Grant Douglas Ward, take you, Skye Daisy May Coulson, to be my lawfully wedded wife. I promise to be your loving and loyal husband, to protect you from anything that may come our way, to never let anything come between us, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer; and, forsaking all others, to be faithful only to you as long as we both shall live."

She was not going to cry. She as not going to cry. "Skye, the same with you, repeat after me."

She nodded and sniffled before beginning. "I, Skye Daisy May Coulson, take you, Grant Douglas Ward, to be my lawfully wedded husband. I promise to be your loving and loyal wife, to protect you from anything that may come our way, to never let anything come between us, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer; and, forsaking all others, to be faithful only to you as long as we both shall live."

Grant rubbed his pointer finger over the underside of her wrist to try and soothe her but it wasn't working. Skye wasn't a big wedding girl, but apparently she was the type to sniffle through the ceremony.

"Now for the rings. Grant, after me once more."

He took a ring that was pulled from the pastor's pocket and began to slide it up her finger as he said "With this ring, I thee wed."

Skye's eyes went wide. The band was vintage looking like the engagement ring, but the top was made up of intricate swirls riddled with small diamonds. It would definitely match the engagement ring when paired together. Before she could comment on it the pastor was urging her to do the same as him.

With a small cough she took the ring extended to her too. "With this ring, I thee wed." This one was what she was expecting; gunmetal; smooth, sleek and simple. It slid right up his left ring finger. They were going to have a talk later about her ring because it was just too nice. He said it was simple like his. Liar.

The pastor's wife was full-on crying now, but Skye found it cute. The woman wasn't blubbering, at least. The pastor just rolled his eyes lovingly before proclaiming, "With the power vested in me by the state of Nevada, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."

Grants hands were cupping her face and his lips were on hers in an instant. She had no idea when the tears that had been welling in her eyes finally spilled out, but they did and as they kissed his thumbs swiped at the streaks. Skye just held onto the opening of his jacket for dear life, like none of it just happened and he would disappear if she let go.

Music played and subtle coughing made them part after a minute or two. "Sorry," she muttered and hid her face in Grant's chest.

The pastor just smiled and shook Grant's hand. Her husband's hand. She was Skye Ward now. That was weird. Technically she was Skye Daisy May Ward. That was even weirder. Hopefully Coulson and May would be flattered by her choice of name when they found out about the ordeal.

After a series of photos and thank-yous they were out the door (as rice was thrown) with film rolls in her husband's pocket. Husband.

"Did we seriously just do that?" she asked once Grant got in his side of the car.

He had the biggest smile she had ever seen on him ever. "We did. C'mere." He brought their lips together and she smiled into it which made him do the same.

"Let's get back to the hotel room please," she whispered against his mouth.

"First," he stopped and took the engagement ring off her right hand and onto her left. "There."

Skye smiled (like she'd stopped smiling since the ceremony) and linked their hands together. "Hotel. Now."

"Yes ma'am."

She half expected Grant to practically drag her up to the room, rip their clothes off and consummate their marriage on the nearest surface, but he did the furthest thing from it—not that she would have minded it. After all she did like when he took control. Sure, they kissed their way up the elevator and down the hall to their room, but it was just kissing. Nothing overly sexual, it was sweet and he was a good kisser no matter the type of kiss. He even carried her over the threshold bridal style.

"I never thought you to be one to follow tradition, Grant Ward," she teased from his arms.

He grinned. "Anything for you."

"Oh, does being married mean you're going to turn into a big ole softie?" she questioned as he set her down. "I was half expecting you to already have taken me to pound town by now."

"You are such the eloquent speaker, baby," he teased and kissed her again. "And just so you know I will be taking you to pound town, just not our first time as husband and wife. I told you we're going to do this right."

Warmth flooded her belly. "Can't wait," she whispered. "For the first time, not the pound town, although I'm excited for both and- God just kiss me already, I'm babbling like Fitz."

That was all it took. Grant's lips were on hers as he cupped her jawbone in that way that made her melt and face tingly. It was soft and sweet and the kind of kiss that reminded her of the first time they kissed in his office at the club. Her fingers shook as they latched onto his sides, but moments later he shrugged off his jacket and untucked his dress shirt all while their lips continued to move together.

His tongue met with hers and she moaned, not at all noticing how he was backing her up towards the bed. Instead she focused on unbuttoning his shirt and doing everything possible to not detach themselves from one another. Then her shoe knocked into the bed and he wound arms around her waist, pulling her flush against him just as the buttons were undone. She felt a tug at the back of her neck made from the long strands left over after tying the dress up and instantly everything sagged, but was held up by Grant's body pressed against hers.

She felt his knuckles ghost up and down her bare back as his lips nipped at hers. Then he pulled away a bit causing the dress to pool at their feet leaving her clad in white lacy panties. Grant let his button up fall to the ground too. She didn't realize until then that his feet were now bare as well. How did he do that? Before she could contemplate it (not that she really cared) he lifted her up and connected their lips again as he laid her down in the middle of the bed. His lips then disconnected and made their way down her neck, sucking gently as he went.

Skye's head leaned back against the pillows and threaded her hands through his hair, but with the new cut they just slipped through with nothing to grab onto—damn it was soft though. She gasped when his lips traveled down the valley between her breasts and dug her nails into his shoulders instead. He purposefully ignored the mounds and continued to leave open-mouthed kisses down her stomach before stopping at the pantie-line. Then he sat up and licked his lips suggestively in a way that had her insides bubbling. His hands ghosted up her thigh to the knee and then down to the ankle and slipped her heel off before doing the same to the other side.

He was going slow just to torment her, she was sure of it. Part of her was wishing that he had taken her to pound town upon entering the room now, at least then she'd have an orgasm by now. To add to the torture he just stared down at her for a minute or two, his hands moving up and down her inner thighs so lightly it almost caused her to whine. This was not fair.

"You're so beautiful," he murmured and then bowed down to coast his lips up her abdomen and to her breasts.

Now she did whine as he suckled and kissed and rubbed everything just the right way that had he pawing at the bed and making noises that she wouldn't be able to emulate on a normal circumstance if paid to do it. She didn't even notice when a finger dragged panties down her legs or else she would have been a lot more excited about it. Her eyes flew open when a finger dipped inside her folds to feel her and they both realized just how wet she was. And it was all just from boobs and anticipation. How did she ever have sex before him? Seriously.

"Grant, I-" her mouth acted on its own accord.

Instantly his own mouth detached from a nipple with an audible 'pop' as he sat up to look at her. His finger continued to swipe at her opening, just playing with the sensitive nerve endings. "Yes?"

She opened her legs wider and bit a lip, whining a little as she did. "Please."

He brought a leg up over his shoulder and then turned to nip and kiss at the shin. "Please what?"

Her face flushed in anger and overheating and need. "It's our wedding day, just- I need-"

"I'll give it to you baby, just tell me what you want," he replied just as his thumb and pointer finger came to pinch the clit. "Whatever you want."

Her toes involuntarily curled in anticipation. "You. Inside me."

Grant grinned and let her shin fall as he shimmied out of his pants. The sight of him awkwardly taking bottom layers off while on his knees made her giggle just a little. Then immediately he reached for her waist and picked her up to straddle him on his knees, his length entering her completely.

Skye gasped, her legs offering support to have some control herself and eyes locked on his. It was very intimate being on the same level, staring at one another, arms wrapped around each other. He rolled her lips into his and she took the hint to move up and down. "I love you."

"Love you too," he breathed and connected their lips.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, their pace steady and lips together. Her belly began to boil and she bit at his lip and that was when he practically growled into her mouth. Instantly she was thrown on her back and he was inside her again, the pace fast and demanding. This was what she expected when they got to the hotel room, but God, she loved that he could do both.

Skye's nails raked across his back as he moved in and out of her, his lips on hers in between moans. Her hips rolled back into his causing him to go deeper within her and them both to gasp. His motions became more frenzied and needing, making her do the same and she felt herself coming undone already. But it was when he hit that magical spot that she fell over the edge and he followed.

She cried his name and he buried his face into her hair. The orgasm was like a wave crashing over her body and all she could think was 'finally!' even though it hadn't been that long—sometimes when he could drag foreplay out for hours and make go crazy with want. But this was different than all the other times and she knew why.

It was their first time together as husband and wife.

* * *

There was no middle for Grant Ward. His life largely dealt with extremes. Hydra usually sided with someone because of how they could further the organization or hated them because of how they could hinder it. His orders were to bring someone in alive or dead. He was told to attack or stand down. Grant Ward didn't know what the middle was, even in his relationship with Skye. From the moment she walked up to him, all high heels and rambling remarks, there was something about her. He'd tried to say away from day one, from ramble number one because he knew he would become compromised. He felt it in the pit of his stomach as soon as she spoke and looked him in the eye. All he needed was that gut feeling to know Skye was going to change his life. He'd learned to rely on those gut feelings, it could be the difference between life and death—another extreme.

Grant never became attached to anyone, ever. He tolerated them for the sake of John, for the purpose of Hydra, never for himself. Skye was the first person he dealt with because he wanted to, for his own sake, because she made him happy. From the first moment he laid eyes on her he loved her, he just never knew what love was before. The extreme of hardly knowing her to already loving her didn't bother him.

The extreme that every time they met like this could end up in getting her killed easily bothered him. So although his body needed it Grant hadn't been sleeping during their 'honeymoon.' He needed to be alert and like all the other extremes in his life he didn't wake up slowly. He was either sleeping uneasily or wide awake. From the moment he put a ring on Skye's finger she became more important than anything, like his own basic needs like resting. She already was more important, but the ring gave him the push to act on it.

So as Grant watched his wife sleep peacefully it was worth his own discomfort—as long as she was okay nothing else mattered with him. Skye was all that mattered.

Fresh from the shower and fully dressed Grant sat down on the edge of the bed. For a moment he just watched her; she was on her side and snoring lightly. It was less of a snore and more of a deep squeak that he would never tell her she did because she'd deny it. With each breath she dragged a few wisps of hair into her mouth then blew them out. It was adorable.

Grant Ward enjoyed adorable. That was just one of the many feelings that Skye brought into his life. He liked things now, not just tolerated them.

"Baby." His voice was soft and smooth. "Wake up, baby." His wife scrunched her nose as her tongue shot out of her mouth in attempt to get the hair out. He smiled at her distaste for waking up. Skye didn't have to live in extremes, she was able to stay in the middle if possible and he wanted nothing more than it to stay that way. He woke instantly so she didn't have to. He inconvenienced himself so she could remain comfortable. He was selfless so she could be selfish if she wanted. His wife was many things, but selfish was not one of them. He just wanted her to have more options than him. "Mrs. Ward," he murmured against her ear before kissing her head. "Wake up."

Skye smiled in her half-dreamy state. "Last name."

Grant licked his bottom lip and smiled. "Baby, c'mon, it's time to eat."

The smile on her face widened as she rolled onto her back and opened her legs half lazily, half excitedly. "Mmm."

A laugh bubbled out over his throat. "Sk- not that kind of eat." She instantly frowned. "Real food, wake up."

As her legs closed her eyes fluttered open. When she saw him dressed she shot up in bed. "No! We're not- my train isn't for hours, you're supposed to see me off and-"

Grant cut her off with a kiss. "It's not time to go yet," he assured her. "We're just going to get food."

Skye blinked repeatedly. "Room service."

He pushed hair behind her ear and kissed her again, his lips nipping at hers softly and slowly. "We're going to the diner across the street. You're getting out of bed and showering and," his head tilted as he said words that tasted bad in his mouth, "getting dressed."

At that she smiled softly. "You want me to put on clothes?"

Grant took in a deep breath. "As much as I've loved keeping you naked the past two days and done a damn good job of it we need to get out of this room."

"Do we? Is that really necessary?"

He licked his lips together. "I would love to keep you undressed for the rest of our lives, but sometimes we do need to go out in public."

"Do we? Is that really necessary?"

He pressed his forehead against hers. "Please just do this for me? Then I promise I will eat something else for a very _long_ time."

Skye's nose scrunched again for a moment before she blew a puff of air into his face. "I guess if I have to," she sighed dramatically.

"I love you," he murmured against her lips.

She kissed him back. "You're acting weird. I mean, first of all you want me to get dressed when yesterday you tackled me for picking up a shirt thinking I was going to put it on. All I was doing was throwing it towards my suitcase!"

Grant cupped her face the way she loved. "Get in the shower and I'll pack our stuff real quick."

"No, stop!" she exclaimed and grabbed onto his wrists. "What's wrong? We're packing now? We have hours. Yesterday you said-"

"Yesterday I didn't feel like this," he cut her off. "Now please get up."

"Feel like what?"

She wouldn't let him go. "Like I need to get you out of here even if just for a little it. It's a gut feeling. I want to case the place, look around, make sure we're still safe."

"Grant we haven't left the room in two days, there is no way any cameras caught us or we were seen. I even checked with my laptop to make sure we're safe. We're fine."

"And I'll believe that if I get to do what I need to. So get up and get dressed now please."

Skye blew a raspberry. "I only like you telling me what do in bed, you know."

"I only expect you to actually listen in bed," he replied, already off the bed and loading a mag into his gun. That sight did _not_ turn her on, it just didn't. (Or it totally did.) "That's why I said please."

She held the sheet against her chest as she stood. "Well thank you but I'm still not letting you see me naked just for punishment."

Grant watched her march into the bathroom defiantly with a smile on his a face.

An hour later he'd insisted on putting their suitcases in the car and packing a little heat of his own. Skye just rolled her eyes and hopped onto his back, saying that if he was going to make her leave the room he was going to do the walking.

"Stop looking at me like that—it might be pointless but it makes me feel better. Aren't you supposed to be a supportive wife?" he questioned as she stared at him over menus.

"That wasn't in the vows," she responded with a wink while propping a leg up in his lap. One of his hands came to rest on her ankle and drew lazy circles on it.

Nothing seemed off about the hotel or its surroundings but he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. Still, Grant had made sure to take all the precautions possible in case something did happen—it was standard Hydra protocol to expect the unexpected so to speak and it was ingrained in him to do things of the sort.

He wasn't reading the menu and could care less about what he ate as long as Skye did. He consciously kept his leg from hopping up and down with unease. It had been years since he was nervous about losing anything, even himself, but now with Skye in the picture his entire world could easily be taken away. That didn't sit well with him, having his fate in the hands of another.

"Stop." Her words were soft and caring, the teasing tone gone. She moved her leg down to hook over in between his as she sat diagonally from him and linked a hand through his. "Look at me." His eyes stopped surveying the room and landed on hers. "Come back with me to SHIELD."

Grant squeezed her hand. "You know I can't-"

"No. I know I can't walk away from you later today when you take me to the train station," Skye stopped him. "And I know you won't be able to watch me either. I think that's why you asked me to marry you."

"We agreed that my staying in Hydra could help end this war."

"No, you thought it would end it faster so we both could get out. I think you were scared."

"Scared?" he questioned. "Hydra doesn't allowed emotions like fear."

Skye withheld the eye roll. "Maybe they don't, but the moment we said we loved each other you weren't exactly Hydra anymore, you said so yourself." Grant didn't say anything, but his eyes scanned the room again. This time she followed through with the eye roll and caught his chin in her hand to make him look at her. "I think you were struggling staying loyal to Garrett and wanting to be with me so you did something that forced your hand."

"You're more important than him," Grant quickly stated. There was no room for discussion in his tone. "Don't doubt that. You're my wife, he's a bastard-"

"I know," she whispered and brushed their noses together. "But I think that you also felt torn because you had been loyal to him for so long. You thought you had to pay this huge debt and the moment you thought you could be free from that it scared you. That was the one stable thing in your life for a long time and I'm not mad you felt that way so don't get defensive, but you have me now. Now I can be your stability. I _want_ to."

"I asked you to marry me because I wanted to marry you, not because of Hydra or John," he insisted, his eyes boring into hers. "I love you more than anything."

"And that scares you too."

"Apparently you married a pansy."

Skye chuckled. "You were torn between paying your debt to Garrett and loving me so you forced your hand by marrying me. As your wife there is no question what you are torn to do. You want to be with me, so come with me to SHIELD. We can explain everything and be together. You don't have to be an agent, you can just be my trophy husband if you want. We'll be safe."

Grant covered the hand cupping his chin. "I need you to be safe. I can do that at Hydra, make sure they aren't on to you, keep them off your trail and put you onto theirs."

Skye blinked to keep her eyes from welling with tears. "I don't need you to work with Hydra for me to be safe. For me to be safe I just need you with me."

The moment tears filled her eyes he was a goner. "Okay."

She sniffled. "Okay? That's it? You'll come to SHIELD?"

He leaned in and kissed her hard. "Maybe you're right that I married you to force myself to leave Hydra, but I also married you because I love you more than anything and the thought of making you upset..." He wiped a tear away. "I'll say yes to anything to keep you from crying. I can't see that."

The tears were replaced with happy ones as his wife threw herself at him in a hug. His arms wound around her as he buried his face in her hair. "You know you just gave me ammo for the rest of our lives, right? All it takes is a few tears and you're putty in my hands, Ward."

Grant didn't respond and instead just held her in his arms. He may have given her ammo, but she would never use it. His entire body hummed with contentedness.

"Ahem." They were interrupted but the waitress. "Sorry about the wait. What can I get for you today?"

He took the liberty of answering for the both of them. "Two orders of pumpkin pancakes to go."

Skye was hanging off his neck when they made it back to the hotel room. Their lips were connected and he was sure the pumpkin pancakes wouldn't be attended to for at least a little bit. He opened his eyes to toss the takeout bag onto a table but rather than lead her to the bed like expected he ripped his lips from hers.

"Gra- what-" she stopped upon seeing his face. He wasn't Grant Ward anymore. He was the Lethal Weapon. "What?" she repeated, moving her hands from around his neck to one of his hands and squeezed.

"Someone was here."

The words hung in the air around them and she looked around. Nothing looked different. "Maybe the maid-"

"Hydra."

Fear gripped her heart in a cold fist, but she kept her breath steady to calm herself. "What- what do we-"

Grant ignored her and pulled her across the room and shoved an armchair away from the wall to reveal an air duct, one big enough to fit her. "I moved this in case something happened so they wouldn't see it. They didn't send big guns, just henchmen and not the smart kind. Now that they know it's me they will bring the big guns to take me in. They'll know the brainwashing didn't work or maybe I overcame it and need recalibration again."

"Grant, how do you-"

"It's my job to know, Skye," he insisted and removed the grate from the wall. "As a Hydra agent and your husband. Now I need you to get in here and take this." He handed her two guns, one ICER and one real as well as the keys to the car. "Follow this down, it leads to the maid station down the hall. Wait until its clear and get to the car and call SHIELD. Tell them where you are and that Hydra is here."

"You're coming too, I mean- we're going together," she stated, stepping closer to him.

"I'll get out when I can and come find you, I promise," he assured her and swooped in to kiss her but she stepped away. "Skye-"

"No! No, you don't get to give me some escape plan and then tell me you'll come find me and you definitely don't get to kiss my goodbye like a final goodbye either. We didn't get married for you to just- you can't-"

"Don't- don't cry, please," he murmured and cupped her face. "We just went over how that's not alright with me, remember?"

She closed her eyes and let him pull her to his chest. "This isn't fair, I ne-need-"

"Sh." Grant held her tight and took in a long whiff of her hair. "You need to go, babe. Now."

"Just come with me," she cried.

"I can't, baby." He kissed her nose. "They know I'm here. If I can get you out of here I am going to and you have a better chance of getting away without me, but look at me." Her eyes met his. "I'm not doing to die, I promise. I won't let you become like your father."

The tears only came harder. "Okay."

"Say you believe me."

Skye nodded. "I be-believe you."

Grant pressed his lips to hers in a hard kiss. "I love you."

"I love you too."

* * *

**You'll get Skye's reaction to being stuffed into a air duct next! This just felt like an okay place to end it.  
I was a fan of this chapter until I read it a hundred times and now I'm sick of it.**

**But hey, like promised a lot happens and it's extra long  
(but I hate the sex scene so there is that)**

**Review what you think please!  
\- Kay**


	19. What It Wants

**I'm SO glad you guys liked the chapter. It was a big one, right? Ahh! You're all amazing for your kind words.  
****NOTE: I edited the last chapter the day after I posted and updated it so reread if you want. It's really not all that different, I just had a few issues with it and wanted to fix them.**

**Return of the Q&amp;A:  
Jae: Very, very soon! ;)  
Guest: They couldn't leave together because they wouldn't make a good story! It'd make everything too easy. Trust me.  
(Other) Guest: Aw, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you cry.**

**Chapter 19**

* * *

Skye should have followed the air duct, but didn't. She tried, but the moment there was enough room to turn around she took it and returned to the grate Grant shoved her in just a minute ago. He had replaced the armchair in front of the duct again, but left a sliver of an opening, probably on accident in his haste. She could only see about an inch or two of the room but what she saw was many men dressed head to toe in black with their weapons out. Hydra was there.

"My Lethal Weapon doesn't look so lethal anymore." The voice was unmistakably John Garrett. He certainly was a big gun.

"Go fuck yourself, John." Grant was held on his knees by three Hydra agents. He was shuffled into view and she half-wished she couldn't see him. His face was bloody and there were dead bodies on the floor around him. She hadn't heard the shots ring out—he probably had a silencer in place for surprise.

John chuckled before raising his arm up and began to pistol whip Grant. Skye bit down on her lip so hard it drew blood. Her heart flew to her throat as Garrett repeated the action again and again. But she couldn't start an earthquake, not yet. She had to be strong for her husband. Her hand covered her mouth to keep from making any noise.

"Now, you're going to tell me where your little girlfriend is," Garrett insisted.

"Uh, Sir?" Another man spoke and raised Grant's left hand.

"Ah, your little wife now, huh? Congratulations."

Grant's hand formed into a fist as the elder man touched the gunmetal wedding band. "I'll never let you near her," he growled.

"Well, that just won't do," John sighed and ordered a few men beat on Grant for a few minutes. He fought back when he could, but too many men had him restrained and were doing too much damage. "If you won't tell me where she is, then tell me how she flung a few of my agents across the hall with a wave of her hand a couple weeks ago. Will you settle for that?"

Skye's only shred of sanity was that Grant was still conscious which meant he was at least coherent and speaking. It was proof he was surviving this, a testament to how strong he was. Her own body began to ache at his beating, but now she welcomed it, wishing she could take his pain on as her own. They were doing this because of her. They had found out she was a 'power person.' Of course Garrett was interested in that.

Instead of answering Grant just spit out a mouthful of blood and coughed. He made a show of not saying anything.

"Tell me where she is or you're getting a bullet in your fuckin' brain," his S.O. demanded.

Grant just looked up and grinned as blood oozed from his lips. "You're getting soft, John. If you were really going to kill me you would have done it when you got here. Don't forget you taught me everything you know."

Garrett responded by connecting his boot with Grant's face. Her husband could take a beating that was for sure, and in their line of work that was something to be proud of.

Grant chuckled from the floor and more blood came from his mouth and nose. "Now you're just desperate."

The older man looked like he wanted to kill Grant, and she wished he wouldn't hit all the right buttons. John Garrett was crazy and she didn't want him to do anything rash—like killing him. No matter what happened Grant had to make it back to her, he promised, but he knew his S.O.'s limits and she had to trust that. "Pick him the fuck up and get him to the car. Do what you gotta do to restrain him, but keep him alive. Now search the area and find that bitch wife of his. We need her to make this plan work."

Skye woke up with tears in her eyes in the med bay. She'd dreamed of nothing else except Grant and his beatings. It was a horrible memory she wanted to stop remembering, stop dreaming about. Seeing Grant in pain... she'd rather be in pain herself.

How she managed to not set off an earthquake was a mystery even Skye didn't know. In the air duct she'd shot herself with the ICER to keep calm and not reveal herself. When she woke and hadn't been found she followed through with Grant's plan. Sort of. She called Coulson, told her location, and turned on a tracker then drove because she couldn't just sit there. She needed something to focus on, or at least try to, or she'd set off a quake. The biggest one.

With blurry eyes and tears rushing down her face she ended up driving the car into a ditch where SHIELD found her knocked out not long after. When Skye finally woke she was back at HQ and Fitz was sleeping beside her bed. She instantly started crying and the room began shaking, waking Fitz and setting off alarms. It was only when she felt safe she allowed herself to react to Grant's abduction.

The quake slowed as Fitz explained things to her—she had a concussion but was otherwise okay. He'd spotted the rings on her finger before anyone else and took them in case she didn't want anyone to know. It began again in full force when a pain tore through her and she knew they were torturing Grant. They wanted information about her. They wanted to know what was so special about her. They wanted her and were using Grant to get her.

The quake got so bad that Jemma had to sedate her. She hadn't been sedated in a long time. All that improvement just to fall back into the old routine. If Skye had time or energy to care she might have been upset about it.

The following days weren't much different. Skye would wake to blinding pain in different parts of her body and set off a quake. When it got bad enough Jemma would stick a needle in her arm. It wasn't living, it was surviving and one of the first few conversations she ever had with Grant continued to reverberate through her mind, almost as a source of comfort.

_"Money is low on my priority list."_

_"What's high on your list?"_

_"Surviving."_

With a shaky breath Skye leaned back in the bed and stretched. Her body was sore from being still for so many days and probably the phantom pains. It had been so long since she'd eaten Jemma was forced to hook her up to an IV, one she didn't pull out upon waking like normal. Skye was weak and she hated it. She should be strong for Grant, try to find him, anything to help him, and instead she was bed ridden, unable to stay awake for long periods of time without causing an earthquake.

It was the middle of the night. Skye knew this by how no one was around, even Fitz who never seemed to leave her side. While she thought it would become annoying it was the opposite, Fitz had become a permanent fixture that she could rely on even more than normal. When he was around he would give her the truth straight and cover for her. Skye was beyond grateful. Fitz had even made a necklace to put the rings on for her, so they were still close to her heart. It killed her not to wear them, but she also didn't want to reveal the marriage either.

Skye had tried several times to bring it up. But to speak of the bond was incredibly uncomfortable for some reason. Only with Grant did the words come easily—it had to be a side effect that to talk about it with anyone else besides a bondmate was just plain weird. She'd even tried to at least bring up the marriage, but only tears came then and that certainly didn't help. She was a full-on mess.

Coulson and May were worried about why she wanted to leave again, to take time alone again. They wanted to know how she ended up in Vegas, what happened when Hydra found her, ask why she was so upset and what was causing her to act the way she had when she first found out of her ability. But they didn't. They were worried it would make the situation worse and for some reason that bothered her. They weren't treating her like an agent, they were treating her like a fragile little girl and in part she was acting like one.

It was annoying. This wasn't who she was. Skye wasn't the kind to just take a beating, she learned better from her team, but also Grant. He'd been tortured for almost a week now and still no one stormed HQ. He would never give up her location and yes he now knew it. She'd told him everything. Isn't that what husband and wife were supposed to do? The problem remained that there were numerous places Grant could be. He'd told her about a handful and their security measures, but with the new knowledge of his betrayal (again) he wouldn't likely be taken somewhere he was familiar with or could have told her about. That was just being a good spy and John Garrett was a lot of things—an asshole, a traitor, and a good agent. Unfortunately.

Skye pushed the scratchy blankets off of her and took to the floor. Her knees almost gave out, but with the IV pole in hand she managed to stay up right. All the quakes and pains and meds really were keeping her weak. Before it was just an assumption, untested, but as she slowly made her way around HQ it was definitely proven correct. It was fucking annoying. For Grant she would do better.

It took almost ten minutes longer than it should have for Skye to get to her super computer set-up but she got there and instantly went to work. She searched for anything that was suspicious, anything that could help her find where Grant was. The tentative plan was to find him, then offer herself over. Either they would die together or escape together. Skye would not let him die for her, especially alone, and they wouldn't live without each other. And by now she was good enough at getting out of HQ and to him—it was to knowing she was leaving and may never see them again that would be hard. There had to be a covert way of saying goodbye, but she lived in a building full of spies, they weren't stupid.

Skye was watching yet another searching algorithm come up with nothing while biting her nails when someone approached from behind.

"If Jemma saw you up she'd probably tell you to get back to bed."

Fitz. Of course. She didn't even look away from the computer. "I left the IV in to appease her."

"Well, she'll certainly like that. How are you feeling?"

Skye still didn't look away. "Like half of me is missing."

"We'll find him. I told you I'd help. Now that you're better-"

"I'm not better, Fitz," she cut him off more harshly than intended. "I'm- I have to find him. He'd find me. I don't care what it costs me."

The rocket scientist sat in silence for a few minutes, offering silent support because he didn't know what else to say. "What if we just told everyone-"

"No." Her tone was firm, final. "They won't- we're not- just no." She looked over at him, finally, and met his eyes.

His eyes were wide and knowing. "You two... you're different, aren't you? Like how you're different?"

Skye's mouth dropped open. "I-I, um-" she didn't know what to say, or rather, she didn't know how to say it.

"Why haven't you told anyone? It would have made them understanding a lot easier."

"Easier?" she questioned. "Fitz, when we learned I was able to control earthquakes I was in quarantine for over a week 'just in case'. When Simmons found out I healed fast I was poked and prodded. What will they do about this? I won't let them touch Grant. Our relationship is _different_ because of me, not him, and I'm not in the mood to defend it just like how I've defended my every action since all this happened. This isn't something that's wrong with me, this is the one right now I have going for me."

"You don't have to defend it to me, Skye," Fitz assured her.

"And you're the one who when I was in quarantine came by to hang out and play games, and as soon as I was released, even though my DNA changed or whatever, you hugged me. No one else did all that. _You're_ the one I'm trusting with this. I love them, but immediately they try to dissect what I'm going through rather than just support right away. Eventually they support me, but it's not the same."

"We are family though, Skye, we all love you."

"I know that. I don't doubt that," she told him with a nod. "I just- this isn't something I'm willing to reveal right now, okay?"

Fitz nodded. "So, this different thing with you two, how does it work? Can it lead you to him, do you feel stuff, is it like a spidey sense that tingles?"

Skye felt like every bone in her body needed cracked in order to talk about it. It was that kind of weird discomfort she felt when talking about the bond with someone other than Grant. But, it also wasn't as bad as she'd felt before, it was something she could fight through. "It's- we just- I don't know, you just feel things."

"So how do you know it's a thing? Cal?"

She nodded again. "Yeah, it was why I went to him alone. He had it with my mom. That's why he's so crazy now, they had it and she died. It changed him because they were so connected—there was no real him without her."

"So if something happens to Ward...?"

"I won't be the same, that's why I need to find him. Nothing can happen to him, and it's not even that I care what I will turn into, it's that he can't di-" Skye wiped tears away. "He's barely had a chance to live and he's in this mess because of me. It's not fair."

"We'll save him, I promise," Fitz stated and held onto her hand for support. "Tell me what I can do."

-xo-

Two days later Skye rubbed her eyes and blinked away the burn. She'd hardly slept in the two days she's become stable, as Jemma concluded at least, and was no closer to finding Grant than she was before. She ran countless algorithms, searched different databases numerous times, looked for any out-there stories because usually Hydra was behind those, and came up with nothing. They'd been apart for closer to two weeks and with every passing moment all she wanted to do was crawl out of her skin. Grant was hurt, she could feel it. Nothing had been too bad for days and she was beginning to think that wasn't good. What if they were doing thing to him, experimental things, Deathlok type things? Maybe they tried more brainwashing. What if Whitehall was intrigued by his inability to be brainwashed and was doing something to him like he did to her mother? Garrett knew about her abilities now too, so what if Whitehall knew and thought he had a power and they were doing horrible things?

Skye shook out of her head and did her best to keep a cap on the anger overwhelming her. What was the point of this stupid bond if she couldn't find him when he needed her most? What was the point if all it caused was pain because they couldn't be together? Her heart hurt thinking about not having the bond—it was a part of her—but she couldn't help but think that all it brought to them was more hurt. It was maddening. She had this new title—_Inhuman_—and she was supposed to be more sophisticated than regular people yet all she felt was hopeless. It wasn't doing her any good—all the earthquakes did was ruin everything around her and she did that well enough without them.

She was two more empty searches from just packing a bag and disappearing, hoping her feet would just let her to him.

"How are you doing?"

Skye jumped and turned to find Simmons with a worried-doctor look. "Um, alright. Tired. Doing work, you know." Actually, Jemma didn't know what she was doing at the computer for the last few days. She hoped the bio-chemist just thought she was doing regular SHIELD work, not finding missing husband work. Fitz had been trying to run interference when possible, but he had the luxury of sleeping once in a while.

"You've been really committed as of late," the (slightly) elder agent commented too-casually.

"Just trying to get stuff done, especially with how I keep messing it all up."

"It's not like that, Skye; we all know you've been going through some things."

Skye let out a long breath. "You have no idea." She rubbed her eyes again. "Just wondering how many chances I'm going to get before I get thrown back-"

"What?" Simmons questioned. "Thrown back into the orphanage? That time has passed, Skye."

"Yeah, well, old habits die hard," she mumbled and then felt a pang at her choice of words. "I just- mistrust of home is my other super power, you know." Until Grant. But rather than getting kicked out he kept getting taken away. "Sorry, I'm tired. I haven't been able to sleep lately."

"Want me to give you something? Sleep is really important, Skye, especially with the quakes. You do better at controlling them when you're taking care of yourself."

It was true, but she didn't want to be knocked out for hours. She wanted to be in control of herself and she needed to be searching for Grant. "I don't think so."

"Nothing too strong, I promise, just something to relax you," Simmons compromised.

Skye shrugged. She did need rest so she could search for Grant in full force. Maybe she would get one last night's rest, good rest, and then set out to find Grant. "Yeah, okay, sure."

* * *

"Who the _hell_ knows about this location that we aren't aware of?" Melinda May demanded to know of the agents surrounding her.

No one answered, half scared of just answering, the other half terrified of getting shot for saying the wrong thing.

"Doesn't matter," Director Coulson stated as he rounded the corner, making himself known.

"It doesn't matter? Phil, he shot out the cameras, knows all of the codes, and is about to be inside SHIELD's secret headquarters and it 'doesn't matter_'_?" she questioned, her tone biting.

Anyone else would have shuttered at the Cavalry's voice, but Coulson just stepped forward with a shrug. "You're right, he's here, and he does know all of our security measures, so we might as well let him in and see how and why he does," he said simply to his second in command. "Now, weapons hot, this guy's good and if we need him taken down you'll get my signal. But it's to take down, not kill, got that?"

The agents nodded and took their positions as May nodded to a Koenig through the security camera to open the doors from the control room.

The steel doors began to part and revealed a man covered in gear which was essential for the extreme Canadian weather. He was prepared. Aware. It only made May more anxious about the situation. They had enough to deal with on base without this intruder making things more difficult or making everything worse.

"Who are you?" Coulson called from behind the wall to not show his face.

The unknown stepped into the underground base and unzipped his jacket before taking off his thick hat. "You got a lot of seismic activity going on for the Canadian wilderness, you know that?" he replied in an uncaring way.

May cocked her gun and came out from hiding. "Hands up or I'll shoot and this isn't an ICER," she warned menacingly.

He complied lazily.

"Now who are you and why are you here?"

Ignoring her previous commands he began to take off his gloves. "Grant Ward, but you might know me as the Lethal Weapon," he introduced himself casually. "And I'm here for my wife," he announced a moment later. "Skye," he told them with a knowing grin as they blinked repeatedly back at him. "Skye Ward."

* * *

Skye was being shaken awake. Roughly. "Ah, what?"

It was Fitz. "Something happened. You have to come with me."

She shot up in bed. "What? What happened? Is it-" she stopped. Something felt different. She felt better. "What?"

"He's here."

Skye was already across the room opening the door.

Grant came home, to her.

* * *

**Okay so we're caught up! Who's happy? I am! **  
**No, this story isn't over. I have more planned for after this. **

**Review what you think although not much happened...filler-ish, but hey, I got us caught up right? **  
**Still review for me, hah, please.**

**-Kay**


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